


Declarations

by Nny11



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Apprenticeships are hard, Exploring that Grandmaster-Grandpadawan relationship, Gen, Mostly Canon Compliant, Obi-Wan is a protective mother hen, thank you White_Ithiliel for beta reading
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-01-01 00:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12144414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nny11/pseuds/Nny11
Summary: A series exploring Obi-Wan and Ahsoka's relationship as Grandmaster and Grandpadawan.





	1. Declaration of Intent

Obi-Wan sat pensively and worked very hard to both appear engaged but not so engaged as to warrant any involvement from him. It was a balance he was looking for, and one he was sure he wasn’t achieving in the least. His gratitude to the other councilors for their discretion was practically boundless.

Discussing initiates who were about to be kicked into the corps or completely out of the Order was still a bit of a sore subject for him.

Whatever the other councilors thought of him, Obi-Wan had been, and had seen, one too many Jedi with great promise thrown to the way side over such an archaic rule. What was the point of it? One of the core teachings of the Order was that Jedi could learn at any age, and to accept the will of the Force. Well the Force might know that some Jedi simply wouldn’t be ready until later in life, who were they to say, “Good try, you were given a great gift by the Force to serve the Force and I, a lowly mortal being, am telling you to leave your only home and only family you know because, you know, 13-17 is  **so very old** . You are just, you know, we tried. Good luck out there feeling like terrible because we promised you great things and then told you that you aren’t worthy.”

Honestly.

Obi-Wan acknowledged his bitterness and worked on letting it pass.

That was the problem though, his inability to be unbiased in these discussions. So Obi-Wan kept his mouth shut because every initiate whose image flickered to life made him want to scream and start throwing a hissy fit about reformation. The rest of the council would certainly not approve and that would hurt his ability to make actual changes. So Obi-Wan acknowledged his outrage, then that there was nothing he could do about it right this second, and let it pass to reflect on later. Over, and over, and over again. As many times as he would need to acknowledge and release his emotions. He passed a great deal of time this way. What a waste of potential.

Some sort of decision was made regarding the current initiate, as the twi’lek’s holopic fading away with a hiss before a new image flickered to life in it’s place. A togruta girl was now projected in front of them. Her initiate robes were immaculately pressed and her face as carefully blank as everyone else when their holos were taken for the archives. There was nothing to be gleaned from the image at all except to familiarize the council with her face.

Obi-Wan didn’t know her, but the extremely awkward pause let him know that someone here did. Which meant this was bound to be explosive by council standards, he did his best not to snicker.

“Ahsoka Tano, age 14, Clawmouse Clan Leader. Noted for her raw talent in the living force, compassion, and readiness to learn. She has good grades, and gets along well with many of her instructors. That said she has a notable lack of a social group. Unrefined skill in the Force, a thirst for Knowledge, but a noticeable lack of self-discipline when any emotions are involved. Tano is also noted for her stubbornness, willingness to take justice into her own hands, violence, and for her inability to release her negative emotions. Tano was brought in front of the Disciplinary Council for aggressively beating a Padawan in the training salles after the Padawan had told a youngling in Clawmouse that he would not make it as a Jedi.” Mace paused and Obi-Wan did his best to ignore the way a few councilors glanced at him. “Frankly Tano is  walking a tightrope right now. She is top of her class and one of the most promising initiates the Order has seen in years, but her emotional issues are becoming more of a problem as time goes on.”

Plo shifted forward in his seat. “I believe that these issues, while occasionally severe, come from a misunderstanding of some of the Order’s tenants. Ahsoka believes strongly in protecting the weak and bringing people to justice. She can be trained so those become assets instead of hindrances.”

Sasee snorted. “Those misunderstood hindrances landed a Padawan in the Healer’s Ward with a broken nose, severe bruising, and a missing tooth Plo. She is dangerous if left unchecked.”

“I agree, that is why I believe that she should not be left unchecked in the corps or by releasing her back to her family.” Plo spoke softly.

Oh. Oh dear, Master Plo? Obi-Wan smothered his smile with a free hand. This was probably one of his foundlings for Plo to come out the gate swinging for her. Honestly it made Obi-Wan instantly a bit more fond of the girl. While Plo could be shockingly obstinate he was at least a good man.

“I agree,” Mace said, shocking pretty much the entire room. Mace was usually far more reserved in his recommendations. “Tano’s power and her anger would not be passed over by Dooku. If we sent her to her family, she would not make it home. If she did, she would hurt someone and he’d hear of it there. We all know he’s been recruiting some of the more...unstable of our initiates who leave the Order.”

Recruited was a terrible euphemism. It was also a depressingly true fact, one the council had fought tooth and nail to keep under wraps that Dooku had successfully taken (whether kidnaped, coerced, or recruited was currently a topic of debate) a handful of washouts, and no one knew what had become of them since then. Obi-Wan was certain they were being trained in darker arts. The council was practically just waiting for them to be released on the galaxy as Sith Apprentices, and those that were not, well, Sith are not known for allowing failure lightly. All that said, it was a well accepted truth that one must be open to darkness before one can fall. Jedi had a bit of trouble discerning between being open and actively wanting. They also had a problem with taking action when their reputation was on the line.

The way that Plo Koon leaned forward spoke a bit too much to his own issues with attachments. He was cut off before he could even start.

“Plo,” Shaak’s voice was still soothing even with the slight fuzziness to her hologram, “no one is suggesting that Ahsoka is dark. I agree that she would be very dangerous if taken.”

“So we allow her to run free amongst our ranks? No, she must be brought to heel and the potential darkness stopped before it can grow. Tano’s record shows little sign of slowing down; all attempts to stop her propensity for violence have not worked.”  Kit rested his elbows on his knees, his eyes trained not on her holopic but on the datapad in his hands. Well that was industrious of him wasn’t it? “I am not convinced that she would make it as an apprentice. She may do better pursuing a career within the Service Corps. She is noted as a calm and dedicated educator for youngling classes, and handles her clan well. Perhaps the Edu-Corps could provide her structure and purpose without risking her being dismissed?”

“If her issues are truly so deep, should she be trusted to educate future Jedi? Besides, I cannot see Tano willingly becoming an archivist.” Coleman’s voice warbled and clicked from the far side of the room filled with his amusement at the idea.

Even laughed, apparently tickled by whatever image was dancing through his head. “She would leave the Order if she was sent to Agri-Corps.”

“Not if she understood the importance of the group. She is strong in the living force and if she understood the way she would be aiding those who have been hurt-”

“No really, imagine a togruta with anger issues nurturing a little green shoot-”

“If there is darkness in her then we are obligated to ensure that she-”

“Master Piell, I am not sure I appreciate the very broad brush you are using-”

“Frankly the Edu-Corps could use a kick in the pants-”

“There is concern if she is put on the battlefield, surrounded by ‘the glory of war’-”

“Lets not mince words, when former Jedi are abducted like this we must-”

“Imagine Madame Nu’s face-”

“Ahsoka is perfectly fit to be a Padawan, some simple guidance is-”

“Master Plo, attachment is dangerous-”

“I am not suggesting myself!”

“You’d think holocrons couldn’t burn but she could probably-”

“No, no, no, she is too dangerous to leave in the Order, if we just keep an eye on-”

“She can learn to appreciate life through her work restoring biospheres if-”

“Where are you seeing her as fit to even remain-”

“And give Dooku a new apprentice? I think not!”

Obi-Wan sat silently in his chair, one leg crossed over the other and stared at the slowly rotating hologram. None of the other initiates they had discussed had garnered such a robust discussion. He glanced around the chamber and noted that Master Yoda was also silently observing, and perhaps communing with the force. Obi-Wan sighed and refocused his gaze. He would be asked to weigh in on this one, but it was just so similar to his own situation. How had the Council discussed him as his 13 birthday arrived? Had Master Poof firmly insisted that Obi-Wan be released from the Order? Had Master Yaddle tried to convince them that he would work well in the archives? For the first time he wondered who had put forth the Agri-Corps for him. An old wound pulled painfully. Perhaps the Agri-Corps had been suggested for him to help control his anger as well.

From his seat, Obi-Wan could see her in profile now. Her face was blank, but her jaw seemed tight now that he was looking. Fists clenched behind her back. Brow lifted in nervousness.

It was like looking at a distorted hologram of his younger self.

A tingle ran up his spine and his breathing picked up. Like himself. The room seemed to fade away, carrying his fellow council members voices and their concerns with them. Every Jedi has potential. Every single Jedi is deserving of their compassion, and deserving of their consideration. No sentient being deserves to be thrown aside or tucked away as a problem to be solved by someone else. They all have worth. Everyone of them. Even those with darker inclinations deserved a chance. There is good in them. There was good in him. There is good in this initiate.

She is a protector. A guardian. A beacon of light and hope and safety to those that she has saved.

Obi-Wan felt the tingle spreading to the rest of his body. Just like he was, just as Anakin was. And stars above if he could help Anakin to grow into the Jedi he was today perhaps...perhaps...oh dear. What could he do? It wasn’t as if Obi-Wan wasn’t still being used to shepard Anakin and teach him even past his apprenticeship. Was he suggesting he should take her on with all he had during a war? Could he give her the time and effort she deserved?

If not him then who?

The force sang softly to him. The council was in favor of sending her to the Service Corps unless someone declared their intent to teach her.The council would throw her away when she could be so much more. He was spinning his own mental wheels. The force  **sang** to him.

“If I may,” Obi-Wan was somewhat shocked to realize he’d raised his voice. The council grew silent, turning to look at him. Well might as well finish what he’d started. Trust in the force. “Masters, if there are no objections, I would be honored to take Ahsoka Tano as my apprentice. I believe I can assist her with her more emotionally driven issues, and it allows a Council Member to keep a close eye on her progress. If that progress does not appear satisfactory we can revisit assigning her to the Service Corps.”

There was a beat of silence where he had to wonder if he’d grown a second head. He’d already trained one Padawan, he could train another. He could do this if they would stop worrying that the Sith Killer was going to train her. Obi-Wan managed to keep a bland smile on his face and let the thought pass like a cloud breaking in the sunlight. He was Master Kenobi. He was a council member. He was assured of his place, talents, and knew his own weaknesses. He could train her.

Master Yoda chuckled, drawing attention to himself. “Assist initiate Tano through her emotional turmoil you can? Yes. Yes, similarities you see?”

Obi-Wan inclined his head. “Of course, anyone here could see the parallels between us. I believe those similarities would allow me to teach her how to release that anger. To take more caution, and to allow her compassion to overcome her more violent inclinations.”

“Perhaps,” Yoda said with his own bland smile.

Obi-Wan felt a small flare of annoyance. Was his own originator implying that he was a poor teacher? He could feel his pride prickle and allowed himself a moment of foolishness. “I am formally declaring my intention to take Ahsoka Tano as my Padawan. If there are no objections I shall make the offer this evening.”

Obi-Wan mentally cringed. Oh this had Qui Gon’s dirty fingerprints all over it. Of course, his Master would have simply asked her and then next morning arrived at the council chamber to have the bonding ceremony. Obi-Wan was simply not able to come up with the attitude to do so. Not that this wasn’t about as close as he’d ever come to spitting in the council’s face. Why did he always have to piss off the bulk of the council when deciding to take on a Padawan? Obi-Wan’s smile turned sharp at the edges. Well, he was still Qui Gon’s Padawan. Shocking and enraging the council was probably his entire future.

Well, some of the council. Plo’s warm gratitude and Shaak’s gentle agreement cut a dazzling path through the rest of their jumbled emotions.   
  
“No objections this council has,” Yoda said, still hiding his true thoughts behind a wooden smile, “when the time comes, be Tano’s Master you may. However, wait you will, much to discuss we still have.”

Well, that was unexpected. Obi-Wan blinked and the hologram shifted, a human girl now in her place. Once more Obi-Wan leaned back in his seat, content to let the conversation drift around him. That had not been outright approval from Master Yoda, that hadn’t even sounded like grudging approval. It had been almost cryptic sounding. The force was gone from him now, quiet and still as he struggled to understand why there had not been more of a fight. With so many against her Obi-Wan had full heartedly expected to argue his case a bit more thoroughly. Especially as he didn’t even know her. The fact that they moved on was a clear signal that his claim had been accepted on some level, and yet he’d been ordered not to ask her until Master Yoda gave him the go ahead. That was a problem. Obi-Wan hoped the 212th wouldn’t be deployed immediately or else he might not have a chance to speak with initiate Tano until that had ended. There were many problems he could see with their partnership if not handled well, and that was on top of him keeping an eye on Anakin. Perhaps his life was about to become that much more interesting when-oh. Right. How was he going to explain to Anakin that he was taking on a new apprentice? Anakin was jealous at the best of times, no matter how he worked not to be.

Well, perhaps that was why he’d been allowed to make a claim but not speak with her? Yoda would allow this apprenticeship because it would force him and Anakin a bit further apart, and he wished to first see some results from that. Teach them both lessons on attachment while saving the great potential in one of their own. Most likely. For the rest of the afternoon Obi-Wan attempted to find other solutions and found none. Not until he had gotten comfortable in bed, drifting near sleep, had another thought occurred to him at all.

When the time comes he  **may** be Ahsoka’s Master. May as in might. May as in let us placate Obi-Wan now and allow this issue to resolve without his input. There was a hot spike of righteous outrage at the realization and absolutely chilling guilt afterwards. May as in Kenobi is too volatile to train someone like Ahsoka Tano. May as in, we already gave you the once in a lifetime chance to train someone you shouldn’t have trained. May as in, we cannot trust you to do this right as you did not train him right. May as in, you two are too similar. It always came down to that didn’t it. His past and his anger always coming back to haunt him. So many of the council members today were those that had known him as a brash initiate who washed out. Someone they hoped would be tempered by the Agri-Corps. So much wasted potential, they’d bemoaned as they’d sent him away. Of course he was too similar and they didn’t approve of Anakin fully. With the two of them still attached at the hip...

Perhaps they thought worse of him and Anakin than Obi-Wan had thought.

_ Here and now Padawan, you cannot know the past and the future is not yet set. Do not lose yourself to them. Be present, be mindful, and if you do not like your future change it. _

Qui Gon’s words floated through his memories and Obi-Wan slowly smiled. Yes Master. Catastrophizing his past and mind reading were unbecoming and unhelpful. The future was still in motion. Well then, well then he was just going to have to prove how serious he was. He was just going to need to convince the council through his actions that he would make a good Master for her. 

And the first step was to help ease Anakin into the idea that he would have a sister Padawan.

He could practically hear his own Master laughing.

“Yes,” he muttered and closed his eyes, “prepare yourself for my great rebellion...taking on a second Padawan. Shocking.”

Sleep came far easier than he’d expected once he had that rough sketch of a plan. Tomorrow, he would start it off tomorrow.


	2. The Eleventh Hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He doesn’t balk or even frown. His smile softens slightly as he looks at her. “Much fear in you. Natural it is to worry when clouded the future is. Natural it may be, yet not the jedi way this is. To tame fear, to leash worries, to master ourselves it is. Difficult yes, against our nature. Necessary to bring tranquility.”
> 
> Ahsoka grips at his hands, swallowing thickly to respond around the lump in her throat. “Yes Master, but I’m not, I’m not a jedi anymore.”
> 
> There is a soothing calm coming from him, a lifeline he’s tossing her in the force.
> 
> “Not a jedi? Not a jedi you say, leaving are you?”

After nearly an hour of delaying the inevitable, Ahsoka finished submitting her final report as Claw Mouse Clan leader. She held her breath as it loaded and felt something drop in her stomach as it flashed the green accepted signal. Any vague hope that it would fail and delete all her work disappeared with it. Ahsoka twisted uncomfortably in her seat before leaning closer. Taking a moment to sit there, awash in the orange glow of the terminal, and just tried to memorize what it looked like. The exact shapes and the verbiage of the seal, the frame of the consol, the way the air in the archives always pressed quietly into her, the sound of the evening chimes muted through the temple’s thick stone walls. Ahsoka’s leg bounced involuntarily as she did. Each second peeling slowly away as she bit at her lower lip. So this was it. Her gaze half darted to the time stamp before she forced it away.

This was really it.

A hundred different voices whispered from her recent memory. “Trust in the Force.”

She snorted at them. Fat lot of good her trust had done. She’d trusted someone to see how hard she worked, how much she cared-just recognize the pure effort she’d put into her studies. She’d trusted that if all else failed she’d at least get an offer to the Service Corps. Ahsoka had taken her doubts and pushed them down, one by one, to drown them in the waves of the force. To try and let her faith in it overcome her fear. Every time she was turned away, every time her heart felt like it would burst from her chest, every time she woke from sleep wheezing for breath she had meditated and reminded herself she was being stupid. The force had a plan for her, it had a plan for her and she had to trust it. Why save her at the last possible moment from the slaver and bring her to the temple if she wasn’t meant to be a Jedi? Any kind of Jedi at all.

Really the question now was how much more trust could she place in the force when she was going to be expelled from the Order in less than five hours?

Ahsoka startled as her lip suddenly stung. A quick investigation revealed a flap of skin she’d accidently ripped up from her worrying mindlessly at it. Ahsoka deflated, slouching backwards into her chair and glared as her terminal screen registered her as inactive and logged her out. For a moment she could only see her scowling face reflecting back at her from the black screen, and then the standard archive came to life.

“You have been logged out after being inactive for ten minutes, your work and progress has been saved and will display on your next log in.”

Ahsoka stared sullenly at that one sentence. Right, on her non-existent next log in.  The bells chimed softly and Ahsoka forced herself to stand up. That was fifteen minutes she could have spent in the salles, learning a few last skills from the archives, eating the free and hearty food in the commissary-fifteen minutes she could have spent doing anything even remotely jedi like, and she wasted them on self-pity. The only up swing was that no one was going to judge her for being a terrible jedi anymore.

It took almost no time to tidy the space and place her datapad to be wiped in the appropriate slot. With a nod, Ahsoka walked as confidently as she could to the reference desk to turn in her clan leader access badge over to Madame Nu. At least Madame Nu had the decency to not look at Ahsoka with any hint of annoyance, pity, or embarrassment. The former council member merely nodded her head and accepted the badge as if Ahsoka was returning a wayward book instead of relinquishing a huge part of her life.

As the doors closed behind her it struck her that this had been her last time in the archives. Funny, she’d come up with plenty of excuses to avoid it and now Ahsoka was tempted to turn around and go back in for a while longer. Instead she leaned forward, putting all her weight over the balls of her feet and forcing herself to walk or fall flat on her face. It wasn’t like she hadn’t already been granted a whole extra year in the archives, and she should have been a lot more grateful for that fact.

The war had had several different effects on the Order as the years had passed, most negative, but a few had actually been greeted with relief. The additional year that every initiate was being granted before they aged out of the Order had been met with quiet gratitude and thankful prayer from many jedi who were struggling to find masters. Ahsoka had not actually been one of them. Sure she had been a little nervous as her fourteenth birthday had started to loom large, but she’d believed that somehow she’d be chosen still. She’d had faith in the force. When the announcement came pinging across everyone’s comms Ahsoka had still had several months left. It was only after her fourteenth birthday passed that she started to get nervous about the implications. Ahsoka had comfortably maintained a position near the top of her class, she’d been in three different demonstrations at the yearly showcase and even dueled in the last two. Ahsoka had even been selected to lead her clan when their previous clan leader was chosen for his apprenticeship.

So why had she been passed over?

Yeah, ok, she had **some** black marks against her. Ahsoka had often gotten in fights with bullies and jerks trying to manipulate younger initiates. And maybe more than one of her instructors had marked her down for her language, but it shouldn’t have prevented her from getting chosen! Jedi were supposed to protect the weak and bring transgressors to justice right? Every fight had ended with the masters grudgingly acknowledging that she had been at least more in the right than whoever made the mistake of picking on her wards. So that had to count for something! Right? Right. Maybe. She hoped.

It had been after her most recent and most egregious offence that Ahsoka began to worry. She didn’t feel bad about showing Elat what’s what, not after she’d made Tinne burst into tears in front of several visiting masters. Ahsoka did feel bad about how far she took it though. A broken nose during a duel was not really a big deal, and she could have played it as an accident. Just the fact that she considered a way she could have weaseled out of her responsibility began to eat away at her. Ahsoka Tano was not a liar or a cheat, but she’d spent half of the trip to the Discipline Council considering how to spin things in her favor in fear she’d be expelled early.

Something hissed in her that maybe it would have been best if they had. Instead the Council had allowed her to remain in the Order for the last two months she was allowed.

Jedi punishment typically revolved around self exploration and helping the transgressor to fully understand why what they had done was wrong. It was about growing and learning to work past one’s individual issues. Like the time she’d gotten into a very inappropriate argument with Tadek, and after the two met with a mediator they’d been assigned to work together on a big project. She didn’t **like** it, but she understood what the punishment was for. Likewise, Ahsoka understood exactly was this punishment was really for. She’d failed to be a proper jedi already, then she’d failed to keep herself in check, and now she would be forced to either quit on her own or let herself wash out. Letting her stay when everyone knew she wasn’t going to make it was some weird last ditch lesson on being humble and accepting things with grace. Despite the reasoning it was rather cruel in her opinion. Now she’d gotten a label as an angry and violent initiate. No one was taking on those sorts, especially not a violent initiate with the war going.

Ahsoka had watched as more than one jedi was pulled to face punishment for their behavior on the battlefield.

Ahsoka entered her near silent clan quarters in a daze, purposefully ignoring her other initiates as she went straight into her private room. She flinched as the door hissed shut behind her, flexing her hands against her legs to relieve some of her nerves. Left, then right, then left, then right. Ahsoka slowly looked at the chrono on the wall. She’d lost almost a half hour of time wandering the halls of the temple.

“This is for the best,” she whispered to herself. Desperate to believe it. “Trust in the will of the Force.”

Stars she hoped that she’d face her fate with some sort of dignity in about four hours.

Shaking herself physically, and with two half power punches to her hips, Ahsoka began to tidy up her space. Ok. She was going to wash out, why was that scary? _I don’t know what to do._ Ahsoka focused on crisply folding her linens as she considered it, letting the mundane nature of the task lull her into something like a moving meditation. There was pretty much zero chance she was going to the Service Corps, otherwise she’d have already had meetings with the Discipline Council and met with a Corps Advisor to prepare for that transition. Even if they did somehow randomly offer her the chance at the eleventh hour, Ahsoka had to admit she didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk or spend her life digging in the dirt. She spared about a half second considering if she could make it in the Medical Corps before she actually remembered that she couldn’t heal. Ok, so not a farmer growing food, or rebuilding biospheres, or terraforming worlds. Not a librarian or an archivist teaching youngling classes and arguing about cataloging. So then what?

Her shoulders drew up stiffly as she remembered the other possibilities.

Ahsoka dropped her straight sheet to punch her leg again, forcing her mind away from the worst possible outcome. Her tribe fell apart years ago and spread across several sectors, it would take a miracle to find her birth family and it would take almost nothing for her to be picked out by slavers. Slavers always noticed non-human children, and most human centric governments tended to do the exact opposite. She didn’t reach to touch the base of her neck, instead Ahsoka practiced her breathing and counted slowly as she put each new layer into the cleaning bag. _Focus, you have time but you need to focus._

Options. What were the other viable options?

She could join CSF, still do good for the galaxy at large and put her training to good use. Coruscant Security was infamous for snapping up Jedi washouts, the media playing it as both a great thing to see young people working for good and a terrible thing when one of those dropouts inevitably ended up in a scandal. Concocted or not, ex-Jedi just drew attention. Ahsoka had done nothing but draw the wrong kind of attention for years, and somehow she had been able to barely stay afloat. She could make it there. As she sealed the bag shut, Ahsoka tried to imagine herself in the grey greatcoat and helmet. She’d still be close to the temple. She’d still be able to sense the rest of the Order continuing on without her. Ahsoka hissed as her lower lip protested loudly, barely stopping herself from biting off another top layer of skin. Alright, so maybe that was stressing her out too. The idea of being so close but so far...

Second option. She could join the Republic Guard and request placement on some mid-rim world in need of humanitarian aid. A lot of rebuilding, security, and pre-planning. And a lot of interacting with the Agri-Corps. It would be good work if she could just avoid the Service Corps.

At the same time there was a war on, and while the Guard and Corps were important the Republic was desperate for troops on the front lines. Ahsoka rolled her eyes. She couldn’t even join the GAR until she was eighteen, and if the war was still raging by then it would put her under the command of a Jedi General.

Ahsoka growled as she jammed her bag into the laundry shoot, and slammed it shut. She glared at the chrono on the wall. Her room was immaculate and she had only managed to burn about twenty minutes. The urge to give herself another punch or two to focus was hard to ignore, but she’d really rather not have to explain how she got bruised up after her physical training had ended. Everyone was basically avoiding her at this point, so the chances she’d even find a sparring partner were low. Slowly she sank onto her barren pallet and looked at the door willing any master to walk through it telling her it had all been a big misunderstanding. She counted down the minutes with slow breaths in, held, out, held. At least no one’d tried to say she’d get chosen in the next four hours, because she might actually have screamed if someone did. Finally tears pricked at her eyes and her throat closed up. She was not going to cry over this.

She refused.

_No one’s dying, Togruta don’t throw up, relax your back or you’ll get a headache, breath, think, don’t cry, don’t cry, you will not cry-_

Ahsoka pulled her legs up to her chest and found herself rocking slightly as she did start to cry. She wheezed and swiped ineffectively at her eyes and her nose, and sent a genuine thank you out to biology for making her naturally quiet when she cried instead of loud. It was always so horrible and awkward when you could hear the washout crying at the end. Ahsoka’d been on the other side of that a few times, sitting with her clan mates and everyone just trying to pretend that it wasn’t happening. Jedi weren’t supposed to cry and what could you really tell them? _Yeah it’s exactly as bad as you think, sorry about that._ Brilliant.

The knocking at her door sent Ahsoka into a small coughing fit. That has to be the new Clan Leader. She’d wasted another hour being pathetic, and the night cycle was coming. Whoever it is probably needed to get the room setup for themselves and she could just find a new spot to be an idiot. She wiped her face off on her arm and hoped that it was not one of the Twi’leks - they’d take one look at her and her lekku and know that she had been in here being soppy. Ahsoka palmed the door open and immediately regretted that she hadn’t made a better effort at cleaning up, or better yet at trying much harder to actually accept her fate.

Master Yoda looked up at her serenely and nodded, “Thank you I do.”

When he moved forward Ahsoka naturally moved aside to let him in. No one said no to Master Yoda, washout or not. Her heart rammed uncomfortably against her chest as she looked at her bare room. She couldn’t even offer the Grand Master of the Order a proper seat.

Master Yoda saved her the trouble of flubbing her way through an explanation by hopping onto her mattress and happily bouncing a few times with a warm smile as he looked at her. Ahsoka stayed standing at a respectful attention, allowing herself to whiteknuckle her bracers behind her back. She was supposed to still have another whole three hours!

“Good evening initiate Tano. Although good, perhaps it is not, hmm?” Master Yoda tilted his head thoughtfully.

It was validating to realize he was speaking to her the same way he always had. That her new status wasn’t causing him to treat her any differently. It was also terrifying because Master Yoda did not personally collect initiates who aged out.

“Yes Master, I mean, not really Master.” Ahsoka shrugged and stared steadfastly at his nose.

“Come, come! Sit! No need to add to your troubles, hmm?” Master Yoda patted the space next to him with a chuckle.

There was a split second where she looked at the spot and then back to him, feeling somewhat scandalized. One did not just... sit next to the Grand Master! He was the Grand Master! Ahsoka forced herself to take the spot he had indicated anyways because... well, he was  **the** Grand Master.

Ahsoka started a new litany. _Listen to him. Do not cry in front of him. Do not plead with him. Trust the force._

Master Yoda held out his hands, and slowly Ahsoka placed her own on top. Though small, his hands were rough and cool to the touch, and his claws tapped slightly against her bracers as he thoughtfully hummed. In the Force she was all but exposed, as her frayed shields and the skin contact made hiding impossible despite the miserable flush of shame she felt over having him know anything about her less than perfect emotional landscape.

He didn’t balk or even frown. His smile softened slightly as he looks at her. “Much fear in you. Natural it is to worry when clouded the future is. Natural it may be, yet not the Jedi way this is. To tame fear, to leash worries, to master ourselves it is. Difficult yes, against our nature. Necessary to bring tranquility.”

Ahsoka gripped at his hands, swallowing thickly to respond around the lump in her throat. “Yes Master, but I’m not... I’m not a Jedi anymore.”

There was a soothing calm coming from him, a lifeline he was tossing her in the Force.

“Not a Jedi? Not a Jedi you say. Leaving, are you?”

While Ahsoka knew that it took something of a small miracle to contain her simultaneous outrage and hope from just killing her outright, she also knew that he was probably getting the message loud and clear. “I don’t really have any options left Master... unless... unless you’re offering to teach me?”

Ahsoka managed to force herself to look him in the eyes, concentrating on the colors she could see instead of the nervousness that it caused her. Green and golds and browns.

“In another life perhaps, proud I would have been to call you Padawan,” Master Yoda continued on as if he hadn’t just destroy the last shred of hope she’d managed to find, “Not to be, for a Master you have been assigned. Terribly rude it would be if I claimed you now, yes?”

It took her brain a minute to catch up from the ringing in her head. She’d been assigned a Master. She'd been assigned a Master! Ahsoka flared her nostrils in an attempt to get enough air in. She was not washing out, she was…

Master Yoda chuckled slightly and bounced their hands up and down, unable to give her a squeeze since she’d accidentally locked him into a death grip. “Yes. Assigned you have been. Recognize, the Council does, your potential. Wrong it would be to let that go to waste. Voted this evening we did, and assigned you we have to train under Knight Anakin Skywalker. My apologies that sooner this was not decided.”

Ahsoka stared at him in shock and let that emotionless part of her brain take over the way it did in emergencies. _No,_ it informed her, _you are not having heart attack._

 _Are you kidding me? The Chosen One? You’re assigning me to the Chosen One? The Hero With No Fear? Everyone in the temple knows that Knight Skywalker isn’t looking to take on a Padawan._ The Council had assigned him to her though, so he had to have been at least interested. Every single rumor she’d heard flew through her head as Ahsoka tried to process that. Her emotionless brain was there to rescue her in the conversation,  “Isn’t he still on the front right now?”

“Oh yes. So shall you, in two day time. On Christophsis he is, debriefed you will be on your way. Much to learn about your command. Mention that did I?” Master Yoda chuckled as if he’d told the funniest joke in the world while Ahsoka dropped his hands and willed herself not to paw at her roiling stomach like a youngling. He patted her knee as he hopped off her bed. “Oh good, I just did!”

Ahsoka was pretty sure she was going to faint. Or die. Maybe both, in that order. Out of newly formed habit, she glanced at the chrono. Ten minutes ago she had been going to age out of the Jedi Order. Now she was Command Padawan Ahsoka Tano, assigned to Knight Anakin Skywalker. Whose Master was Master Kenobi, whose own Grandmaster was Yoda’s last apprentice. Master Yoda was her originator, and as long as she didn’t fuck this up he would stand in the circle at her knighting to welcome her fully to his lineage. Ahsoka managed to look at her small packed bag and then back at Master Yoda.

“Holy shit," she whispered and immediately wished she could just have caught her tongue about three seconds ago, thanks.

Master Yoda positively cackled. “Yes, yes! Understand the sentiment I do! Hurry now, no more dawdling in here, hmm? Take you to the Quartermaster I shall, and a few new uniforms you will take with you to the front lines. Think on what you would like you should.”

It was like he wasn't even speaking basic. The words all made logical sense, and yet they really didn’t. Ahsoka looked at her initiates habit and back up. She was a Padawan and she was being allowed to pick her own clothes? Her head spun a little. Well Knight Skywalker-Master Skywalker wasn’t here to assign any to her. So Master Yoda was taking her instead. She needed to impress Master Skywalker right away, something that show him that she’d be a good choice. He didn’t really wear the regular uniform himself, something close but not quite.

“Can I wear hunter’s clothes?” Ahsoka asked before she could actually wonder about it at all. Her mind leaping to her biggest and best achievement to date instead of to matching color schemes or respectful traditional cuts.

Master Yoda nodded sagely as she practically hopped to walk with him from her clan quarters. “A reflection on your accomplishments, yes, permissible this is. And much more refreshing I think than those stuffy robes!”

There was a near manic grin on her face as they waited for the lift. “Yes Master.”

“A good choice it is Padawan Tano.”

Her whole body was tingling, her hands were shaking, and she couldn’t stop grinning. She hadn’t been chosen, and she had lost faith, but the Force had not abandoned her. This was the will of the Force, and even if Master Skywalker hadn't chosen her, the Force had. Ahsoka felt something settle in her chest. She had a good feeling about this. A very good feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the Council agreed that Obi-Wan would make a good Master. It just took them a while to fully debate out the idea of Anakin teaching anyone. Would've been nice if they'd at least warned poor Ahsoka! Well at least they had the good grace to warn Obi-Wan.
> 
> Wait.


	3. Gosh He's So Proud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin, his beloved, rash, egotistical Anakin is literally hiding behind Obi-Wan as he protests. This is the person that the council has not only selected without informing him, and did so after Obi-Wan had made his formal declaration to teach. Anakin is nowhere near ready for a Padawan, Anakin practically still is a Padawan! His Padawan! The council assigned his new Padawan to his former Padawan behind his back. Obi-Wan pushes his stormy anger back behind his shields, fights with every ounce of willpower to not scowl.
> 
> That little green troll!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to BookwormGirl16, who's been amazing and then asked for the chapter.

The Second Battle of Christophsis is somehow worse, Obi-Wan thought grimly. Sure, last time he was wearing full clone armor and had probably more ARC Troopers than he’d known what to fully do with, but it was so much worse knowing and seeing the old wounds the planet still carried. To realize that all that work and all that effort had meant nothing in the end. All that death. It became a chore to keep morale up and it’s a miracle they are still fighting. Supplies had been cut, reinforcements had been delayed, their hard lines of communication were basically slag, and the Separatists seemed to know exactly what they would be doing next. Obi-Wan rubbed at his eyes and forced himself up out of the sleeping cot. The effort certainly won’t improve just because he refused to get up. He was barely upright and out of his tent before the first problem of the day appeared.

“Master,” Anakin smiled at him, one hand flourishing as he motioned towards what they had been generously referring to as the mess, “I was hoping we could talk about our next move over breakfast.”

That was code for 'I had a wild plan that came to me from on high and adrenaline that would easily work if I cloned myself a few thousand times.'

Obi-Wan felt that near constant headache he always developed in the field return with a vengeance.

“We can certainly review, but at this juncture any change in plan would be disastrous.” Obi-Wan huffed.

“Of course,” Anakin said in a way that is the exact opposite of convincing, “but I was thinking-”

_Stars above preserve us from this mad man?_

Obi-Wan shot Anakin an amused glare, pushing the thought along their training bond. For his effort Anakin appeared to be doubling down, sending back a faint _you taught me_ across the bond. A bond that they were frankly going to have to sever soon. Very soon. After all, three minds linked even peripherally was a bit much even by his standards.

While Christophsis certainly hadn’t slowed down, Obi-Wan had not stopped thinking of his future plans. Which may or may not have involved catching himself often thinking about how different the campaign could have been if the Council had allowed him to take Ahsoka on before he’d left. It would have been one hell of a trial by fire, but he was confident that she would take well to it. A wave of grim determination fell onto his shoulders like a heavy wool cloak. She would still have a chance to be thrust needlessly into a war. Her birthday passed and he knows she must be on her way to them. Hopefully with the supplies and reinforcements that they so desperately need. Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin, who is waving his hands around to demonstrate part of his ridiculous plan (honestly they were not going to tear down a building, people live here!). He can only hope Anakin would handle this transition half as well as he’s claimed he will.

Goodness knows the man hadn’t fully seemed to consider how drastically their tactics will change with a fresh Padawan fighting beside them.

Fortunately, Obi-Wan has. In fact, he had already spoken to Cody about the whole affair and the two had sat down to discuss where she’d best fit. New training schedules, how to rearrange their basic maneuvers to account for a second Jedi, crash course officer education, armor, back up weapons, and so much more. They had laid out a plan and prepped what they could. Ahsoka’s quarters had sat empty for nearly a half year, and Obi-Wan had made sure to have them cleaned and stocked. He’d even gotten permission to have a holocron on hand which he planned to let her use between missions. Everything was ready for her, except for two important details. The first was that the rest of the 212th had been left in the dark, as Ahsoka was not officially his Padawan yet it seemed improper to start a rumor mill full of speculation.

The second was that he had yet to hear from the bloody Council.

It left him feeling a little more nervous every day that passed after Ahsoka’s fifteenth birthday. He had worked hard the last few months to prove he and Anakin were able to operate and behave independently. Obi-Wan had spent time reading up and taking distance coursework when he could to help brush up on his teaching skills. He’d even tentatively set up a mind healer to meet with Ahsoka, and had very begrudgingly accepted one for himself. Healer Bloom had given him a sweet smile as she viciously explained the effects of war on the mind. He’d been working every day to cram as much in as possible, and when her birthday passed without word from the Temple...well, Obi-Wan felt full to rights to be a bit anxious about it. Which was to say, he felt mildly like he was having an exceedingly prolonged heart attack. What if they’d denied his claim? What if she had been taken by someone else? What if they used his position away from the temple to send her into the Service Corps? _They don’t like you, they don’t trust you_ whispered from the darkness in his own soul. He tried to reason each fear away, slowly working through why each was false or something that he could not just gaze into his crystal ball and conjure. Logic, he was not surprised to find, didn’t help as much as it might if he wasn’t also fighting a war.

Obi-Wan snorted softly into his electrolyte mix. A resource draining war in the literal and mental senses. Healer Bloom was probably sensing a disturbance in the force right now.

“No it’s fine, tell me how you really feel old man.” Anakin grumbled and rolled his eyes across the table, one finger scraping the inside of his generic protein butter packet. Then, Anakin Skywalker, Former Padawan to Council Member Master Kenobi, and potentially the Chosen One to the Jedi Order and galaxy at large, jammed said finger into his mouth and slurped until he’d gotten every last bit of food off of it. Charming.

Obi-Wan cringed as he watched which only seemed to spur Anakin on. He knew for a fact that he taught this man manners. Repeatedly.

Anakin laughed, eyes twinkling as he watched Obi-Wan's reaction. Well at least one of them is in a good mood.

He spent the rest of his breakfast alternating between trying to imagine himself eating fresh food and allowing Anakin to keep him distracted. Obi-Wan was well aware of what Anakin was doing, no matter how much they would both claim they weren’t. _This is why the council finds you lacking._ He didn't even need the help of a mini-meditation when Anakin sent the distorted image of himself stomping on something viciously. Right, fear helps no one and Anakin is, as always, eager to help those in need.

They’ve barely left the mess, when Pitch flags them down. “Sirs, priority transmission from the western outpost. Said they got a transmission from an incoming Republic vessel.”

“About time!” Anakin clapped Pitch on the shoulder as he darted past him.

It really is. They’ve been requesting supplies and reinforcements for nearly a half month, but with their communications hacked and jammed in turn he wasn’t sure their message had even gotten through. They both set off at a good jog to the command center, and he is frankly unsurprised to find Cody and Rex both already there. Before they’ve come to a full stop, Cody has triggered the message to replay.

_“This is-schzt-inbound with temple-schzt-”_

“Can we clear this up?” Anakin asked, squinting as if it would help him hear better.

“We’ve been trying, no luck so far.” Commander Cody supplied through the popping static of the message.

_“-full message-schzt-with Padawan-”_

Then the message simply stopped. It took Obi-Wan a moment to piece together what they could have possibly been saying before it all clicked into place. As he stared, Obi-Wan willed himself to stop floating with relief somewhere ten meters off the ground. He is a full grown man and a Jedi, it simply wouldn’t do to have the men see him appear so giddy about anything at the moment. He does manage to look up, first sharing a knowing glance with his Commander before glancing at Captain Rex who appears to be smothering a smile. Right, no way to hide it from these particular men. Still, propriety has him leaning back and casually saying, “Well, there’s that then.”

Obi-Wan ignored the playful way that Anakin bumps their hips together and he completely ignores Anakin’s smug grin. There is no way he can ignore the near sing-song quality of Anakin’s response. “I told you there was nothing to worry about with the supplies or your Padawan.”

“Yes, well,” Obi-Wan sniffed trying to put on an air of calm indifference, which he ruined by grinning widely, “My worrying has saved both of our lives whilst you were off trying to learn new ways to use explosives.”

Anakin tutted dismissively but turned his face back towards their command center, already refocusing on their battle plans. “Of course, let’s just hope she’s as great as you’ve made her out to be.”

Obi-Wan would never, ever describe himself as a braggart and he certainly does not **preen** . But perhaps he was able to stick his chest out slightly and feel a few feet taller for knowing how wrong he was. _How completely ridiculous! Of course the Council doesn’t think poorly of me, I simply take these things out of context sometimes._ It was always a pleasant surprise when his past mistakes didn't come back to haunt him. More so when he’s had a few months to properly wind himself up. Then there’s the fact that Anakin appears to be genuinely happy for him. Not a trace of his dreaded temper and possessiveness on display. Obi-Wan half wished Master Yoda was here to see it. Anakin is growing into a fine young man and into a great Jedi, just as Qui Gon had predicted.

Oh he’s getting all misty now; honestly! Obi-Wan cleared his throat and turned to watch the lone shuttle descend towards them. It’s one thing for others to tell you that you are worthy and a completely different one to feel that reassurance for yourself. Even as he feels those older worries leave, new ones start to settle.

“Only one?” Anakin’s voice is rough and their bond pulses with discontent. “Where are the rest of our reinforcements? Where are the supplies?”

He doesn’t know and he can feel a new stone drop in his stomach. Communication had been terribly spotty. The Council might have no clue how badly off they are.

Obi-Wan can barely spare a thought for Anakin’s upset through the haze of emotions he’s going through, but he reached for any sort of positive answer. “I’m sure they’re on their way. Perhaps she’s been sent ahead?”

Anakin grunted and folded his arms defensively over his chest as if the shuttle or it’s occupants were to blame.

The ramp opened, and Ahsoka stepped out looking both unsure and excited. Obi-Wan smothered his grin at her new Padawan outfit. Cody was already having a slight fit if the way the force is twisting around him was any indicator. First his General gives up armor and now his Jedi Commander has arrived wearing none. Obi-Wan doesn’t know enough about Ahsoka and her fighting style to say if she should find some armored pieces yet or not, but he is sure they can add some onto her boots, bracers, and probably get her a chest piece similar to his own. Things that won’t impact her ability to fight. Ahsoka spots them both and her already tight shielding grows closer to her. Obi-Wan glances at Anakin to make his point. _Look, she even comes with manners!_

Anakin spared him a half hearted a glare for it, too perturbed to engage in their normal bickering.

“Padawan Learner Ahsoka Tano at your service.” Ahsoka gave them both a pitch perfect bow. Her tone is respectful and her stance is flawless.

Obi-Wan has been her Master for all of sixty seconds, and he can’t believe how immediately proud of her he is. He gives Anakin another look and receives an eye roll and a gentle push over the bond.

Well then, well that deserves a proper and formal acknowledgment. Obi-Wan returns her bow with his own respectful one. “Greetings Ahsoka. I am your new master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Ahsoka’s placid face grows tight, her jaw tensing as she glanced between him and Anakin. A flush of embarrassment roiling through the force as she looked at him apologetically. Obi-Wan can feel all the worries he’s been honing shimmer back into existence, deadly edges ready to slice.

_What?_

“I...am of course at your disposal Master Kenobi-”

_At your disposal? What? No. Oh no, no, no!_

Ahsoka turned to point at Anakin, “But I have been assigned to Knight Skywalker.”

_Be Ahsoka Tano’s Master you MAY. They don’t trust me, they don’t trust me and they didn’t tell me and Anakin-_

“No!” Anakin, with all the tact of a crechling shouted loudly enough that several troopers look their way. “Oh no, no, no! He’s the one who wanted a Padawan! Not me!”

Anakin, his beloved, rash, egotistical Anakin is literally hiding behind Obi-Wan as he protests. This is the person that the council has not only selected without informing him, but they had done so after Obi-Wan had made his formal declaration to teach. Anakin is nowhere near ready for a Padawan, Anakin practically still is a Padawan! His Padawan! The Council assigned his new Padawan to his former Padawan behind his back. Obi-Wan pushed his stormy anger back behind his shields, fighting with every ounce of willpower to not scowl.

_That little green troll!_

“No, Master Yoda was very specific. I’m assigned to Anakin Skywalker, and he will supervise my Jedi training.” Ahsoka has puffed up with pride and offense at the mere idea that she’d lie. Obi-Wan knows when a Padawan has jutted out a hip like that and crossed their arms it meant nothing good.

Force, they would have already had a rough time of it and the Council pulled this. Obi-Wan’s anger flared deeper inside his chest. How dare they do this to them? To Anakin who is not prepared and to Ahsoka who deserves better than to be shot as the messenger. How dare they shuffle that responsibility onto a child, and how dare they impose the responsibility for another’s life onto an unwilling Knight. As if this was some grand game instead of two lives!

Obi-Wan has always known he had a temper. From a young age Obi-Wan had gotten into fights and arguments, he’d always felt slighted or disenfranchised by Master’s turning a blind eye to the suffering of their younglings. That anger nearly ended his life as a Jedi, that anger that had frightened Qui Gon, that anger that had surged to the surface when Maul- Obi-Wan’s teeth hurt from how hard he has clenched his jaw. That anger is always there and always waiting for him to slip up. He has become adept at hiding himself completely, at presenting a front at all time. It takes concentration though. So Obi-Wan forces himself to let them rile one another up, if he speaks now he will be sure to regret it later. After all, his emotions have already cost him his second Padawan.

“That doesn’t make any sense!” Anakin is practically whining. Their training bond is suffused with confusion and anger. _Of course Anakin thinks I knew, of course. Why wouldn’t he?_ Obi-Wan has been so excited he has been trying to talk Anakin into taking a Padawan as well. Anakin has probably concocted a whole tale of betrayal over this. He is the Jedi Master, they will talk later, but for now he needs to give the Council a united front. Too many eyes, too many ears, and certainly one too many Anakin Skywalkers present to admit their leadership is splintered. So Obi-Wan returned the look with his own bland practiced smile.

He can feel Anakin half raging on the other side of their rapidly closing bond. He catches his own thought of how childish and petulant that is before he can send it.

_Why assign her to Anakin if they fear my anger?_

That thought finally pulled him up short because it doesn’t make any sense. They wouldn’t assign her to Anakin if that was the reason. He was displacing his fears again, Obi-Wan doesn’t know **why** the council has made this choice. After all, they are not so stupid as to put accelerant next to an open flame and think 'yeah this’ll be fine'. There must be another reason. There’s always a reason.

“Well I’m not going anywhere, so get used to it Skyguy!” Ahsoka snapped and leaned forward on the balls of her feet as if they are about to get in a physical altercation. Judging by the way Anakin is leaning forward as welll, perhaps they are.

The Force hummed softly in the base of his skull and Obi-Wan quiets his mind to listen to it. It draws his eyes to the two of them bickering and he suddenly understands. The Council wants them to even one another out, not complement one another. He can sort of see it now. They would work out one another’s stubbornness, both having a strong moral compasses that tend to be far more accurate when they feel obligated to another, and they needed to learn to work with those they have opposing views with.

He protests against it, he clutches his own hurt close and the pain it causes. They don’t like one another. They aren’t well suited!

Neither were he and Anakin. Neither were he and Qui Gon. They figured it out, we all figured it out. Obi-Wan knows with certainty that if Ahsoka and Anakin can do the same here they could grow into an amazing pair. Watching them Obi-Wan flashes for a moment to another possible time.

_Anakin driving a speeder and Ahsoka seated in the gunner position next to him, the two grinning at one another. The two of them quietly meditating under the old fire tree in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. The two of them working through a paired kata. The Force is telling him, give them time._

“Don’t get snippy with me!” Anakin hissed.

Obi-Wan blinked away the after images, and gathered up all his frustration before releasing it as best he can now. It is something to address later. Something to fully pick apart when they are not in a war zone. He is the Master here, he must act like one no matter how much he wants to jump in and simply argue as well. The Force is cooling as it rolled down his neck to wrap and dissipate from around his ribs. It’s suffocating even as it soothes.

“We’ll have to sort this out later,” Obi-Wan truly means that, “It won’t be long before those droids figure out a way around our cannons.”

Refocus everyone. My personal drama does not an emergency make.

Anakin practically leaps at the unforseen opportunity, “I’ll check on the lookout post!”

He’s already turned away, and can’t see the way Ahsoka deflates. Anakin had not been sure he’d be trained, but he has never experienced what it means to not be chosen by someone. He doesn’t understand the way Obi-Wan does what it means for your Master to look down their nose at you and find you lacking. Truthfully, he wants to stay quiet and have a chance to speak with her, he wants to let her know that he will train her if Anakin will not, he wants to tell her that he claimed her. Instead, Obi-Wan can only remember what it was like to return and beg Qui Gon to take him on again, and to watch his Master turn away from him.

“You’d best take her with you then.” His voice remained as emotionless as he could possibly make it, using only the barest hint of sarcasm to help smooth the edges of his performance. For a moment Anakin turned to glare at him, and Obi-Wan wanted to glare back. It’s tempting to snap at him in the Force, remind him that he didn’t ask for his Padawan to be given away like a trophy or a tool. Before he has a chance to behave like a complete child Anakin has rolled his eyes and given a hard jerk of his head.

Ahsoka gives Obi-Wan a warm smile, a soft push of gratitude, and she trots off after Anakin. _She doesn’t want to be my Padawan._ Obi-Wan inhaled and imagined his ego as a black balloon, he breaths in until it explodes and then lets all that negative thinking rush out of him. He feels exhausted, what little he ate is revolting, Rex’s chuckling seems to float in the air like a bad smell, and Cody is making those concerned eyes at him. _The council doesn’t trust me._ Obi-Wan quietly repeated his little exercise each time a new thought appears. _Cody thinks I’m pathetic. Anakin thinks I had a hand in this. What is so wrong with me?_ Eventually he managed to look at Cody again who has had the grace to do some work and give him space.

Cody lifted one eyebrow, his voice pitched low, “Sir?”

Obi-Wan only manaed small bitter smile. “Here and now Cody. There’s still a battle to win. Just, keep an ear and eye out for her will you?”

“Of course, but I wouldn’t worry. You know how Rex is with strays and lost causes sir.”

Force bless Commander Cody.

The next week passed in a blur, a series of highs and lows as they work towards beating the Seppie droids. Obi-Wan spent half of it worrying about their plans and the other half watching Anakin and Ahsoka work out their differences. A very euphemistic way of saying, arguing over everything. It was almost amusing at first. Funny until he realized both of them were digging their heels in because they weren’t feeling respected. If they could just work together for once, he knows they would be a good training pair. Obi-Wan fights himself to stay out of it. They need to test the waters and they must make that determination on their own. He won’t have either of them resent him just because his feelings were hurt.

It’s on day two when he realized this was not only a test for them, but a test for him. Can he let go, remain detached, and accept the Council’s wisdom? Can he remain calm in the face of his anger and insecurity? Obi-Wan wanted to both prove he is better than they think and that he can be their worst nightmare if he wanted to. Instead of acting on either desire Obi-Wan spent the next three days oscillating between deeply upset and manically excited.

He’d declared his intent to teach, he’d done it formally in front of the entire High Council!

He hasn’t seen Anakin so focused, happy, or centered in over a literal year.

Don’t they know he’s not the Sith Killer, that his anger wouldn’t corrupt her?

It is amazing how well they are already working together when they are working together, and cute as hell to boot!

They don’t trust me because I have so much anger, and I am proving them right. I am a terrible Jedi.

They trust me to keep both of them on the straight and narrow. They are letting me still help and teach while helping to pull Anakin from the temptation of the dark side of the Force.

His thoughts chased one another round and round, but as the battle finally drew to a close with Ahsoka and Anakin returning with wide grins and joking with one another that his resolve solidified. This is good for Anakin, and it’s good for Ahsoka. He has no right to interfere when they have so obviously started to bond. As camp is being broken down, and Ahsoka is working with the men to speed up the process, Obi-Wan pulls his former apprentice aside.

Anakin has taken one look at his face and already seems to know what he’s going to say. “No smug declarations.”

Not that Anakin’s right, just that he thinks he knows best. Honestly.

“I wasn’t going to.” Obi-Wan put his hands on Anakin’s shoulders. Anakin feels...so much lighter. Not healed, but better.

“Master,” it’s half warning and half groaned.

“I mean it. I just wanted to check in with you, I can speak with the Council if you would like and see about having her apprenticeship switched.” He already knows the answer but he needs Anakin to say the words before he can let it rest.

“No!” Anakin flushed, ducking his head, and twisting his fingers together. “I mean, thank you, but there’s no need. I was just... I was just caught off guard at first. I think this’ll work out in the end. Snips has got a serious attitude issues but, hey, so do I.”

Obi-Wan finally smiled, oh it still hurt but he’s willing to let go of anything for Anakin. “Why is that self reflection I hear? Has a medic seen to you? No head injuries?”

Anakin tapped his fist against Obi-Wan’s chest piece, careful to not swing too hard with all that metal. “How come when I don’t admit to things it’s a bad thing and when I do I have to be sick or injured?”

“You are a master of deflection Anakin, and you know it is my responsibility to worry over you.” Obi-Wan squeezed before letting his hands drop and fold behind his back. It's over now. This was our new reality.

“Tch, who do you think I learned from?” Anakin’s cheeky grin eased something in him.

“Yes, I will have to have a talk with Rex, he is rubbing off on you in these terrible ways.”

Ahsoka waved to them as they rounded the corner, and Obi-Wan hopes the little twinge in his heart will stop soon. _It’s not happening Kenobi. Let it go._

Anakin fake sneered at him, “Oh of course Master, who else could I possibly be speaking of?”

They had barely made it back to the camp before their command center flared to life with a priority call. Twenty minutes later Obi-Wan found himself alone on Christophsis with the 212th as Anakin and Ahsoka were called to rescue Jabba’s son. He spent the next rotation stewing alone in his thoughts without a battle or happy padawan in sight to keep his mind quiet and tongue still. One rotation after they’ve left finds him at his private terminal waiting for Master Yoda to pick up the line. When he finally does, Obi-Wan has to pause and force himself to not just let his mouth spurt off anything damning.

“Wished to speak with me you did, about Padawan Tano hm?” Yoda’s face is placid and at this distance Obi-Wan can’t say what the old Grand Master is thinking.

“Considering the Council decided to secretly vote to delegitimize my claim without notifying me, or allowing me a chance to argue my case, and considering that the Council decided to assign Ahsoka to an unwilling Knight with no prior teaching experience or training; yes.” Obi-Wan can feel the way his face has gone stony, the way his eyes have gone flinty. “These decisions go against our creed and codes, and furthermore, appears to demonstrate a deep uncaring for the life and well being of two Jedi.”

Yoda’s ears drooped slightly, twitching back up so fast that if he hadn’t been looking for a reaction Obi-Wan would have missed it.

“Made lightly this decision was not. A vision I saw. Contact you we did, hm. Down were your communications. A decision had to be made before her fifteenth birthday.” Yoda tapped his stick on the floor, a hard set to him. “Discussed we did. Master Plo Koon stood in your place. Thank him you should.”

He really hoped the squeaking from his teeth grinding wasn’t audible. “The future is always in motion Master Yoda. You had no right to overrule my claim without me, and especially not without speaking to both Anakin and Ahsoka beforehand.”

Obi-Wan knew that he couldn’t actually hear Qui Gon laughing. Still, it was as if he could see that little smile he got when Qui Gon was secretly proud of Obi-Wan’s insolence. Clearly he had been spending far too much time with Anakin.

“Yes, in motion the future is. Yet show me the Force did, shown I was a future with Ahsoka training under Skywalker. See I did that necessary for both it was. Your place to question the Council’s decision, it is not.”

Alright, he could still salvage this situation as long as- “It is, in fact, my place as a Councilor to question every single decision made by the Council. Accountability and transparency are tenants of our sitting body.”

_Brilliant. Just, just fantastic job._

“Meditate on your anger you should Master Kenobi, see that it does not blind you.”

Obi-Wan bristled, “In fact I’ve been doing a great deal of that recently. Wondering if perhaps I was reacting in regards to my own situation. I will admit that this decision feels like I am being undermined and discredited, without any sort of fair treatment. This is my burden to bare. I, however, am far more concerned with the fact that you decided to assign Ahsoka to Anakin. A young Knight, without any of the training Masters receive before taking on their first Padawan. I am well aware that one of my greatest faults as Anakin’s Master was having gone in blind, but I had the luxury of taking those classes while his education was caught up. You have given him no such kindness unless you intend to pull him from the front after this rescue mission.”

Yoda's frown became the much more ferocious as he spoke. “Do you not think he is capable Master Kenobi?”

“Anakin is capable, but capacity is not the same as prepared, which it so happens is wildly different from being open and enthusiastic. What in your vision was so important as to put them at such a disadvantage?” Obi-Wan’s vision had been flashes of one possible future. One in which the two became a solid team. Nothing in it had suggested urgency.

Yoda leaned back, clearly thinking before he spoke slowly. “Visions of darkness we have both had. Saw light I did. As we saw severing Skywalker from Senator Amidala would balance him, so too will teaching Tano. A tether to the light she will be. He must learn balance Obi-Wan, he must learn to let go of his attachments.”

Obi-Wan could feel his heart skip a beat. “I sincerely hope I am misunderstanding you Master Yoda, but are you implying that you have gambled the life of a child to try and teach Anakin how to let go?”

Yoda appeared to age before his eyes, his weary answer, “All is as the force wills it.”

“I do not doubt the force Master Yoda, but we are only able to interpret it’s will. A lesson I believe you taught me when I learned to control my visions.” So many choices with the potential to go so terribly wrong. Obi-Wan knew, he knew that if he had been there he would have supported Yoda’s choice eventually. Likewise, he knew he would have at least delayed the decision to give them both enough preparation to actually survive the apprenticeship. To survive the- “I noticed that your vision only seemed focused on Anakin’s growth. Ahsoka life has also been altered, was there no more of her?”

The soft misery that washed over Yoda, taking away every harsh line , was terrifying. “In motions the future is Obi-Wan. Watch over them both I know you will.”

The call cut leaving Obi-Wan sitting in the glaring artificial lighting of his office, a lump in his throat and he covered his mouth. _Here and now. The future is always in motion. Visions are fickle and unreliable. Here and now. You are a protector. I won’t let it pass. I won’t._ If Master Yoda, or the Council writ large, had hoped these revelations would push him farther apart from his Padawan and his Grand Padawan, they were sorely mistaken. Obi-Wan slowly stood, gaze still locked on the inactive console. Their apprenticeship may be destined, but he would do what he had always done best. Protect those who needed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Master Yoda you are not the one and only and best person that the Force talks to and maybe you should try talking to people a little further in advance???????
> 
> Apprenticeships are just, man, they are hard.
> 
> Next Time: Ahsoka gets to know Obi-Wan more, and would really like to make a good impression.


	4. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka takes a break from the war and her new master to work with Master Obi-Wan. Council Member Master Obi-Wan. Anakin's master. The Sith Killer. The Negotiator. That guy. That's the one.
> 
> No she is not worried at all about this.

Ahsoka stood to Master Obi-Wan’s right, just a hand with behind him. While she kept her face forward she still watched him, took in every detail of his stance and posture through her montrals and absorbed it. Emulated it. Ahsoka had some capacity for the politics that Master Obi-Wan navigated during negotiations but essentially none of the training capitalizing on it. It had been a large part of the reason she’d been ordered away from the war after all. A gap in her training that her advisors noted was not being corrected by her Master. She hadn’t been excited to correct it, and she felt some trepidation at being directly under Master Obi-Wan’s scrutiny. He wasn’t mean, not exactly, but he was strict and something of stickler for the code.

It was pretty much the opposite of Master Anakin, something that always boggled Ahsoka. The two seemed to exist in two different realities at times. Arguing and acting like initiates jockeying for a spot in the yearly demonstrations. Masters argued, sure, but not vehemently and not in front of padawans or initiates. Ahsoka had seen the way Masters could be at odds but there was an underlying tranquility to the discussions, something that left Ahsoka uncomfortable and itching in her own skin.

_How did they do that? How was she going to ever do that herself?_

Those two questions often felt like they summed up her life. Ahsoka knew she was skilled and that she could handle the missions she was given. But that calm, centered, tranquil way that most Knights and Masters simply were... Ahsoka was energy, fidgeting, and pacing. She was jumping to conclusions and saying C instead of A, B, then C. She did well in training, decently in classes, and rather miserably interacting with her own cohort.

This mission was all about the things she’d never mastered. It was perfect for someone like Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and she wanted his approval. Her Master and his Master might argue every chance they had but they were close and fond of each other. She wants to please just to please, but she wants to prove she is well rounded and smart enough. She wants to return from this mission with Master Obi-Wan smiling and Master Anakin proud. Ahsoka knows she should want this mission to go well just because the people here need it to-and she does! She honestly does, she just wants more than that too.

Master Obi-Wan bows, and Ahsoka does too, she can’t mimic him this time, he’d drilled her on the proper ways for her to bow during these negotiations. The proper way to eat. The proper way to sit. The proper way to accept or decline gifts based on a list of requirements so long Ahsoka was sure her head nearly split apart from the information overload.

They both waited until the delegates had all left the conference room and Ahsoka tensely waited for her cues from Master Obi-Wan. For his part, Master Obi-Wan appeared as refreshed as he had at the start of the day. His robes crisp and his face smooth. His presence in the force was a cool pane of glass. He glanced at her with a small smile, turning not to leave but to face the expansive window behind them. Ahsoka smiled back at him, turning quickly to walk with him the few extra meters to the glass. While the view was primarily blocked by the speeder lanes, it was still dazzling to look out and see all the glossy towers and glinting bikes that passed. In the distance the golden haze of sunset was barely visible between the thin slivers of light between buildings. She had been frankly grateful that they had their backs to the window, Ahsoka wasn’t sure she wouldn’t have spent the whole thing supremely distracted otherwise.

Master Obi-Wan stood relaxed, his weight on one leg and arms crossed over his chest. She could see the way his eyelids fluttered as he took a deep breath. She forced her attention back out the window. Probably wouldn’t win any points by staring him down.

“Well, I certainly hope this has been enlightening, if not for a broader view into politics then at least for how to successfully grandstand and stall for time.”

Ahsoka snorted, gripping her hands tighter behind her back. “It was certainly something all right.”

Master Obi-Wan chuckled, inclining his head slightly in her direction. “Hmm, yes, something is a word.”

For the first time all day, Ahsoka felt herself relaxing a little as well. For all that she worried she wouldn’t stack up to Master Obi-Wan’s expectations or demands she was also easily delighted by his earnest humor. Then again she didn’t know many people who weren’t. Master Kenobi was well renowned for his charm. Ahsoka had never had a class with him teaching, but she had watched him tutoring small groups of Padawans in the salles in soresu. She’d liked the way he treated his students but had been grateful to be under other Masters that didn’t scare her as much.

After all, disarming charm was exactly what had gotten her abducted from her village.

Master Obi-Wan glanced at her in their reflections. For a moment Ahsoka felt like Obi-Wan stood as tall and imposing as Coruscant's skyscrapers. Like some mythical being cold and distant. Then she saw her own reflection next to him, a wave of warmth washing over her as he asked, “My dear, not to be too forward with you, but is everything alright?”

Ahsoka tried not to flinch too hard as she stared past her own wild looking eyes. “Yes Master Obi-Wan.”

There was an exceedingly awkward pause she used to simply work through some breathing exercises. Counting up to five on inhale, down from five on exhale, concentrating on the way her boots sunk a little into the plush carpet on each exhale. She imagined herself growing heavier and heavier without any weight pressing her down. Letting the thick fibers smooth her rough edges as she found her center.

It was interrupted by the heavy sigh Master Obi-Wan gave. Alright, that was a bit harsh, most people wouldn’t have noticed but she was close enough to faintly hear his heartbeat. So a soft sigh became a rumbling heave. It made her wilt a little.

“I mean, I’m just not used to this. So I’m a little nervous is all.” So it was more blurted out than anything else but she didn’t want him to be disappointed in her. “I think some meditation will help.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “And why are you nervous? The unknown tends to fascinate you more than repel you.”

Sure but that was unknown situations, not unknown social weird whatever this was. What were you even supposed to do around your grand master anyways? It seemed like a weirdly important thing passed over in every younglings excitement to be chosen by a Master. But she hadn’t been chosen, Master Anakin didn’t want to talk about Master Jinn and Ahsoka wasn’t stupid enough to ask the Sith Killer how he felt about Count Dooku all things considered. So here she was. Unable to connect with someone older than her for the first time basically ever. And she needed to impress him blast it!

Ahsoka shrugged noncommittally. “I’m willing to learn Master Obi-Wan, the social aspects of this have just been...difficult.”

He laughed, a full belly laugh, one hand coming up to half hide his mouth as he looked at her with sparkling eyes. “Yes, it always is. Do they want you to bow, shake hands, nod, what? Do I need to eat anything questionable? How much blood will I literally donate to some obscure ceremony? I swear, no matter how much I prepare for these in advance there’s always something I miss in the texts.”

Ahsoka couldn’t have stopped her wide grin if she’d wanted to. “Are you telling me you participated in blood rituals? Isn’t that some crazy forbidden thing?”

Master Obi-Wan sniffed, putting on an air of offense that clashed with his bright happiness. “Padawan Tano I will have you know it was not a crazy forbidden blood ritual thing...it was simply a ceremony that allegedly would bind the futures of the Jedi Order and the Conglomerate together for eternity to show our seriousness to our commitments. Besides, at least they didn’t make me a deity.”

“That implies-hang on! Who made you a deity?”

“Absolutely no one has, thank goodness! My poor Master on the other hand, well, it was quite an impressive hat.” Obi-Wan chuckled as he used his hands to demonstrate the sheer size of it. “All brightly colored and covered in rattles. I found the whole thing rather delightful to watch from a safe distance.”

Ahsoka burst into laughter at the thought. From everything she had heard, Master Jinn had been a giant of a man and had been rather serious himself. Then she wondered what Dooku must have thought seeing his former Padawan wearing the hat and sobered. What a terribly fractured lineage. What a terribly hurtful thing.

“Master Obi-Wan... I guess, well, I meant more that I don’t know how to act around you. Actually.” She focused her gaze quickly onto the hand cupping his chin, then lifted it to look at his nose. She tried to look him in the eyes, she did, but she just couldn’t.

There was a small burst of guilt, like a gust of hot air, and then stillness again.

“Not that you’re a bad person to be around! I just, uh, what I meant was that I just don’t know you all that well and there wasn’t exactly a course on interacting with Masters?” Ahsoka managed to catch her tongue about a whole minute later than she should have. She should have just stayed quiet and enjoyed the moment. She should have just meditated and used the time to work through her discomfort instead of implying all sorts of terrible things about him. The Jedi was was about working through your problems not avoiding them.

Master Obi-Wan gave her a weak smile for her efforts. “Unfortunately they do not, it would certainly make it easier wouldn’t it?”

The light had grown so intense as they spoke, that Ahsoka could practically see the way it bent around his frame leaving a long dark shadow across the floor. She tried to focus on that instead of the way her lekku were likely turning shades and most importantly kept her stupid mouth shut.

“Well, I believe we can fix that at least. How about dinner at a favorite diner of mine? I haven’t been to Dex’s just to eat and chat with someone in...goodness, far too long I think. And I promise, you can ask me anything you’d like Ahsoka.” He hesitated as he spoke, taking a half step towards her when he paused to place his hands gently on her shoulders. They were perfectly heavy and safe.

Ahsoka chewed at her lip a moment and stared at his undertunic peeking up just under his throat. How did so many Jedi were so much clothing? Hot and itchy and so annoying! His amusement brushed the edge of her mind, probably catching wind of her thoughts thanks to the skin to skin contact. Ahsoka flushed again but this time with a small smile. “That would be nice.”

Master Obi-Wan gave her shoulders a little squeeze. “Excellent. And do let me know if you get cold while we’re there, I swear Dex would do well on Pantora sometimes. I do have an extra cloak after all.”

Ahsoka flushed gripping her elbows hard as he passed her. He wasn’t mocking her, but he was teasing her. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. Ahsoka trotted after Master Obi-Wan and tried her best to keep up with him. “I’m surprised that you still have any extra cloaks.”

Obi-Wan’s laugh rang out down the hall. “Honestly, Anakin is always complaining that I lose them everywhere. Unlike your Master, I can and do pick up after myself!”

When Ahsoka didn’t reply right away he sniffed and tugged at his collar, as if straightening his tunics. When finished he simply continued to brush imaginary lint off of his sleeves, adjust his bracers, adjust his belt-Ahsoka snickered at his pantomime.  Master Obi-Wan was known for his fastidiousness, in fact she’d even heard a few shinies call him Pretty Boy once. Of course that had been mere seconds before a more experienced trooper had given them a dressing down. Ahsoka had been more than upset on her grandmaster’s behalf, Master Obi-Wan was a high general and a councilor and **deserved** respect.

But it was different when he did it. It felt more like she was being let in on a secret.

“I’ll be sure to remind him to pick up his robe the next time we’re fleeing for our lives Master Obi-Wan.” She nodded solemnly, doing her best to put on a show as a ‘proper Jedi padawan’.

Obi-Wan easily swung his leg over their temple speeder bike, “Honestly, talk to him instead about the wonders of modern technology. Most vehicles come with this thing called turn signals nowadays. There’s also something call speed limits. Do take notes for him my dear.”

“Yes Master,” Ahsoka rolled her eyes as she hopped into the side car. The curved half window made him appear upside down and covered in rainbows of neon lights.

The ride itself was devoid of conversation, more due to the wind whipping around them than anything else. Ahsoka was still grateful for it, things seemed to be going well but she wasn’t completely ready to drop her guard. Conversations were just hard. Especially when she was relying on the Force to tell her what nonverbal cues told most people, and she was leaning so hard on it when talking to Master Obi-Wan she might as well be lounging on top of it. Obi-Wan turned them away from 500 Republica and the Temple, and instead dropped them into one of the vertical air lanes as they began to descend from the surface level. Ahsoka watched all the glass towers slowly grow taller over them as they floated down to the more industrial levels.

It was soothing in a way, seeming almost surreal as the sunlight shifted and reflected down into the neon signs.

She perked up as he started to take them down for a landing. They were still in the first sublevels, in fact, this looked like coco town. Where in the world did Master Obi-Wan frequent in a place like coco town? It wasn’t that this was the worst or roughest part of the planet, far from it, but it certainly wasn’t a place she had ever thought a Jedi Master might go outside of work.

Obi-Wan set them down with a slight bounce dismounting and locking the bike down before removing a small part from it. “Never leave in the ignition switch when you could just take it with you. The Jedi Order seal might keep many thieves away, but it doesn’t discourage all of them. This way now, this parking lot isn’t all that far from Dex’s.”

Ahsoka followed him around the next corner and practically attached herself to his side as they walked through a large crowd of people. “How did you even find a place down here? Not that there’s anything wrong with the area!”

Obi-Wan pushed the small of her back, directing her around a patrolian who cursed them both when Ahsoka almost stepped on them. “To be honest? It kept coming up in the top ten places to get a nerfburger in the galaxy. I was curious and decided that if I had enough time to be looking at top ten articles, that I certainly had enough time to actually go and eat one.”

The two quickly moved aside for a group of bothans, and Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around her shoulders to stop her from side stepping into a wookie. He continued as having average citizens nearly bowl you over was a normal thing. “I suppose you could say it was a bucket list item and the burgers **are** amazing. I got to speaking with Dex, the owner, and he eventually asked for my help as a Jedi to stop some thieves who kept robbing him. So I helped him, and then Dex helped me recover something they stole from me. Then I, well, I suppose it just sort of spiraled out of control. Ah, here we are!”

Turning the last corner, Ahsoka could finally see it . The diner itself was a small, one story chrome tube. The slowly flashing neon sign was half broken, although there was just enough light coming through to glint off the building’s blinding facade. It was dinky honestly. A hole in the wall hidden in plain site. So small that Ahsoka doubted it could hold more then about thirty patrons.

What in the world had she agreed to?

Obi-Wan held the door open for her with a flourish of his free hand, his spare robe draped over the other. Ahsoka rolled her eyes and smiled at him through the glass door before hesitating at the entrance. The place was cramped, the floor was dirty, the whole thing seemed...questionable at best. Master Obi-Wan gave her a gentle push to the left towards a small booth hidden from the entrance before directing her into a booth with crumbs still left on the seat. Where she slowly slides in, wincing where the fake leather sticks to the skin of her back, Master Obi-Wan gracefully finds his seat and places his robe on the seat next to him.

She tries to find some indignation that he actually brought it but is distracted by the way her whole body seems to tense from just being here.

Ahsoka swallowed hard as the menus popped up on the table. She couldn’t eat here. This place was...it felt like an ambush point and her back was to the door and it was filthy. What was the polite way to tell a Master that their favorite restaurant was a dirty dive that you’d rather blow up then eat at? When Master Obi-Wan quirked an eyebrow at her, Ahsoka panic selected the “Famous Nerfburger” that sat at the top of the menu and then thought to worry it wouldn’t be compatible with her digestive tract. She tapped her fingers on the table top and hoped she wasn’t about to get terribly sick.

Master Obi-Wan leaned back in his chair, turning his mug over to get caf from a sparking and squeaky droid. Apparently unphased by the idea of his mug having touched the table top. The silence stretched, growing more uncomfortable for her the longer it was drawn out. It was only when Obi-Wan looked at her with a quirked eyebrow that Ahsoka remembered she was really here to ask him questions. Any questions she wanted.

“Uh,” Ahsoka twisted her fingers together and glared at the table. Why in the world hadn’t she thought of any questions on the way down? She was used to having so many thoughts and questions piling up on one another in her head that being unable to find a single one was unnerving at best. “So you like nerfburgers?”

Master Obi-Wan chuckles into his caf. “Doesn’t everyone?”

“It’s just not what I thought you’d...like…” Despite her earlier assessment that the diner is filthy, Ahsoka is fully prepared to hide under the table.

“I can eat it with a knife and fork if that would help with the image of a distinguished Council Member. I can even pretend to be offended.”

Ahsoka squints at the table top in confusion, waiting for him to cut her down when it finally occurs to her that he hasn’t done that to her. Not once over the last three weeks has Master Obi-Wan threatened her, implied something horrible about her, or sneered down his nose at her. There’s none of the judgement she expected from a Council Member and none of the anger she’s heard so many tales of. Each time there’s been an opening, Master Obi-Wan has used it to either build her up or mock himself. That his kindness isn’t some act that will end at any moment.

Master Obi-Wan is just...Obi-Wan, her Grandmaster taking her out for a friendly, relaxed dinner.

Ahsoka’s eyes sting as she fights off a wave of relieved tears. He likes her and just wants her to like him too. As the droid puts down their plates, Ahsoka screws up her courage and looks up at Obi-Wan’s face. He’s looking down at his burger, dimples showing in his grin and eyes wide with excitement. His eyes are a steely gray when they snap up towards her. Ahsoka quickly turns her gaze down at her own plate, a small grin in place.  

Obi-Wan isn’t that scary really. He’s nice and the force gently presses around her, almost rocking her in soothing waves as they eat. She’s safe with him.

When Ahsoka finally does cave and ask for it, Obi-Wan’s cloak was tightly woven, soft, and warm. It smelled of spices and vanilla.


	5. Dive into the Deep End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin wants this to work, and he's sure it will now that he has a plan. After all, nothing bad ever happens with a patented Skywalker plan! Please ignore the distant explosions, that is all part of the improvised portion of the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HUGE thanks to White_Ithiliel for editing this chapter! I may have made it a slog but gosh I appreciate it! :D
> 
> I should have had this earlier in this story, but just as a heads up: just because a character thinks something doesn't make it true. (I'm looking at you Obi-Wan "my padawan has no CLUE what it's like to be rejected by your master" Kenobi, Ahsoka "everything is on fire and it's fine, I'm fine" Tano, and Anakin "oops did I make this all about me again" Skywalker.)

Anakin slowly stretched, one knee bent slightly and the other straight as he reached out to the side. Bent his back to lean his weight over his flexed knee and exhaled. 

_ Just count to ten seconds. Just ten seconds of inhale, then slowly exhale and right myself over the next five seconds. Pause for five seconds. Repeat. _

He’d already stretched the left side of his torso, the backs of his legs, and his upper arms. All he really had left to do was to slowly loosen his neck. Then, well, then he was going to try his first group meditation session with Ahsoka.

Meditation could take many forms, and Anakin had no problem with most of them, though he prefered moving meditations like the one he was trying to complete right now. Slow walking meditations or focused breathing while stretching were some of the most effective for him. Silent meditation wasn’t too terrible anymore, but he had struggled when he first joined the Order. The idea that anyone was required to just… sit still and not do anything had been shocking. He’d been too used to missing meals and even sleep because a master needed a task done. His mind had been trained to always be active, to always be looking for something to do. Even when the masters hadn’t demanded anything, it had still been best to be busy, or at least **look** busy. In the temple though, surrounded by Jedi whose honorary title was master, Anakin had been afraid. The first time he’d been told to do a silent meditation in class, Anakin had thought the teacher was upset with him or singling him out. Obi-Wan had cleared it up quickly enough but it still never quite sat well with him. So instead of a fitful thirty minutes of silent meditation he could do hours and hours of other types.

Group meditation  _ was _ , however, a silent meditation. Worse, for it to work you needed to be seated and still. 

Anakin’s racing thoughts broke his concentration completely, causing him to huff in annoyance. He shook his head slowly, repositioned himself, and started stretching his right side again. The point of this meditation was to focus on what was coming without focusing on the fear of what it would entail. He’d really never been good at group meditation, struggling to even hold his Force presence still enough to meditate with Obi-Wan. He acknowledged that he was nervous about meditating like this with Ahsoka for the first time. He pictured that nervousness as a tangled ball of string that slowly loosened with each round of stretching.

_ Exhale. Ten in. Five out and up. Breath. Exhale. _

The fear that he would fail wouldn’t go away. It wouldn’t abate. It wouldn’t untangle at all. He sighed as he slowly began to twist his head, trying to focus on the pull on his neck, shoulders, and upper back. 

It had been two months since Anakin had taken Ahsoka on as his apprentice. Two months. That was supposedly enough time for them to have gotten to know one another. Enough time that they were supposed to have already done this meditation together, as part of the process of getting to know one another. A first step towards forming a true training bond. Maybe it seemed strange at first blush that they hadn’t somehow found a simple half hour to do it. Those two months had seen them through three military assignments and two separate Jedi assignments. They’d been thrown across the galaxy without a single day of shore leave and almost without a single day to spend just working together.

Out of those whole two months, they’d maybe spent a few weeks together just for training and teaching. A few piddly weeks that had mostly been spent in life threatening situations as Anakin desperately tried to get his point across before Ahsoka got into even more trouble. It was unorthodox for a new Jedi pair to spend so little time alone together, but the whole thing was just shocking to him. Anakin shouldn’t have been a Jedi, but he was. He shouldn’t have already been Knighted, but he was. Ahsoka shouldn’t be a Jedi, but she was. They had never even met one another before Christophis and neither had requested to be paired together… but here they were.

Teaching and learning. To the best of their ability. When they weren’t fighting each other.

Anakin grimaced as he gathered a few supplies to take to the balcony. He was sure that he’d never been so rude, overconfident, and disrespectful as a Padawan as Ahsoka was. Sure, Anakin had screwed up frequently and often publicly, but he’d done so out of misunderstanding of how he was supposed to behave in the first place. Anakin had only ever seen the way slave masters behaved, and honestly most Jedi seemed just as calculating. Anakin had assumed. He'd assumed he’d have to fight for his position and prove his worthiness to stay. He’d assumed that Obi-Wan would drop him at the first opportunity. He’d assumed that he should treat those of a lower status the way the Council had treated him. The way that Obi-Wan had sometimes treated him. So Anakin had looked down his nose and let every last one of his suspicions float to the surface. 

It had been poor behavior, but it  _ was  _ from genuine misunderstanding that was corrected far too late because of pride. Ahsoka, on the other hand, was...

Ahsoka was empathetic and willing to learn. She had a good sense of right and wrong. He worked to remind himself of that whenever her bad traits threatened to make him scream. She was young. She could learn. In fact she had more potential to learn from him than most Jedi probably would. Most Jedi would probably have begged to be taken back, the shock to their systems too great to handle. Ahsoka seemed to understand his methods, and was eager to work with him, but she didn’t appear to come with a filter. The masters didn’t react well to those who were missing that, Anakin had learned that the hard way. He was doing his best to teach her how to follow the spirit of orders, how to look for alternatives, how to think outside the box.

It was difficult and slow going, feeling like every time he took two steps forward Ahsoka would drag them both back one. It wasn’t that she meant to, but Ahsoka was in the way. She wasn’t fast enough, skilled enough, or experienced enough to really be at his side at all times. The 501st was sent into the worst of the war and he barely managed to keep them mostly alive and afloat. She wasn’t prepared! It wasn’t fair! Not to her and not to him, and he certainly didn’t appreciate the fact that Master Yoda seemed  **pleased** by that fact. It made Anakin seethe, boiling his blood in the most un-Jedi-like ways. Anakin Skywalker did not appreciate having his free choice stolen away only to have a master try to emotionally manipulate him. He appreciated even less the way the Order had done the same thing to Ahsoka, who was so young and naive as to not even notice. After a series of wrong choices on the battlefield and out right disobedience, Anakin had nearly lost it on her.

_ Do you want them to take you away? Do you want to get killed? _

It had been a relief when Obi-Wan had approached him with the Council’s orders. He was shipping out again and Ahsoka would be staying behind to learn more about diplomacy.

Anakin had all but abandoned her, barely remembering to tell her to be on her best behavior for his master. She’d learn a lot under Obi-Wan’s purview and be out of the line of fire. Anakin had taken the time to get Rex’s opinion of her and ask his advice. Rex had looked at him like he was a particularly cute but stupid pet. His response had been a sardonic,  _ “Have you actually spent time with her?” _

As soon as he’d gotten over his ego, Anakin had put in the call. The "give me back my padawan so we can do the thing" call. He grinned a little at the meditation pads, candles, and water as he completed the finishing touches to their meditation spot. All he needed to do now was stick to the plan.

The first step was to make time for both of them to just… be together. They needed to get to know one another, and they needed to work on their training bond. The Force bond that was so critical to the success of the apprenticeship. The one they hadn’t formed yet. That was a well hidden secret. Anakin had a bad feeling that the Council would happily use their supposed inability to bond as a reason to separate them. The second step was to form that training bond as quickly as possible.

The fear hissed again, tightening his throat and souring his stomach as he remembered how close Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had grown.

It had been a slap to the face to see the way they so easily fell in sync when Anakin had spent just as much time with her. Now that he had a plan the Force apparently had to go meddling. So he watched as his master and his apprentice worked like a well oiled machine, an unformed bond just starting to shimmer between them. If it had been anyone else Anakin would have screamed about head hunting, but it was Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan had set the board so that Anakin was Ahsoka’s master in the first place. Something Anakin reminded himself of as he watched the two of them working together.

He could feel Ahsoka’s presence as she quietly pulsed her entrance into the Force. A polite way of letting others know when you were coming in. Anakin let the air rush out of him as he took off his boots. 

_ Focus. Here and now. _

This was his chance to prove to everyone that he was the right person to be her master. That he was a  _ good  _ master. Ahsoka poked her head out of the door, a small grin on her face as she looked over towards the spot he’d set up.

“Ready for our first shared meditation, Snips?” Anakin grinned at her over his shoulder. 

_ Be cool, be relaxed. _

Ahsoka snorted as she popped her back. Unlike him, Ahsoka had always seemed to prefer meditating in her full kit, feeling as if it all helped her to focus on who she was. Anakin felt that it was itchy and distracting, the robes always tugged in the wrong spots and everything overheated so quickly. She sunk down onto his meditation mat, so Anakin happily made use of the fluffy pillow.

“Definitely ready,” she said while crossing her legs.

Anakin let their knees touch and frowned when she kept her gaze locked somewhere around his throat. The nervous energy in him threatened to flip directly over into anger. It wouldn’t do to start them out by disciplining her for poor behavior. A shared meditation was supposed to be about letting your minds meet, it was intimate and it required a level of detachment that would be impossible if Ahsoka’s pride was hurt. 

“Good. Close your eyes and let's get our breathing together. I’ll reach out to you first alright?”

“Yes, master.”

Anakin cringed as he inhaled, slowly letting his eyes close on the exhale. After a few minutes he let his awareness spread out beyond his own self, feeling and listening to the way Ahsoka breathed steadily in front of him. She’d already slipped into a light meditative trance and a moment later Anakin slid into the Force alongside her.

Every Jedi experienced the Force differently. That was pretty much the first thing Anakin had learned, even if the masters denied it. Some felt, some saw, some smelled or tasted or sensed. Some experienced a combination of things. Some floated in space or walked paths well worn into stone. Anakin did it all. He did it all smooshed together into a cacophony of sensations and images. He took a moment to just weather the storm of that initial plunge, to catch himself before the shock pulled him right back out.  _ Not up, deeper, deeper. _ The deeper he went, the warmer he felt. Gentle waves of heat danced over his skin as wind whistled by his ears until he finally reached the bottom. His feet flexed into the soft soil as Anakin opened his eyes to the vast expanse of space. Here he could see every single creature on the planet, in the system, in the sector. A blinding globular cluster of stars. On his next breath Anakin narrowed his focus to the temple where the brightest and oldest of the stars were. He narrowed his focus even further to the closest ones. Padme, Obi-Wan… .and there was Ahsoka.

As Anakin reached out to her he felt something there. That shimmering spider silk tying her and Obi-Wan; he felt his temper burn again. It was powerful and hidden here, something that no one else would notice.

It was obvious to him though. All he had to do was watch the way they moved around one another in the physical plane. 

Anakin had of course noticed that some Jedi simply had… that  **something** between them. Not a bond or even overtly the Force, but something flowing all the same. Not something that came only in combat, not like what Anakin and Obi-Wan did. Just… in general. It was something Anakin had never had with anyone.

His apprenticeship had been a laundry list of missteps and missed opportunities. Elbows knocking over tea cups, feet tripping on droid parts. Washing the dishes when the fresher was in use. Peace could be found but only after some struggle to create it. Peacefulness didn’t just come to them, not at the same time. Anakin would be close to sleep when his Master’s energy would jolt him awake. Obi-Wan would be ripped from meditation as Anakin’s emotions were upended.

But for the two of them… It was a fresh pot of tea placed just as the last drop was sipped from a cup. A datapad of information, just the one that had been needed, placed a moment before it was asked for. An extra blanket here or a jar of sun protection there. The right kind of brushes for the right preferences. Hell, watering a forgotten plant and whisking away food that was no longer wanted. If Anakin didn’t know any better he would think the two of them were a training pair.

When he was feeling bitter about it, Anakin wondered if that wouldn’t have been better for all of them. Let them have their perfect match, and let him do what was needed. Let him fight the battles that were necessary and give her the chance to escape him. 

Anakin found himself being quickly pulled up and up and up. The bitterness and the frustration building in him until his concentration burst like a bubble.

That was probably why Ahsoka had stopped trying to meditate and was waiting for him to give up his own charade of meditation.

Obi-Wan had told him years ago that it was perhaps a Temple raised thing. That younglings were smooshed together in tight enough quarters and learned quickly to do things for each other. Obi-Wan had smiled as he said,  _ “After all, when everyone is projecting and receiving it’s a bit hard to know who actually wants what.” _ Anakin had seen the youngling clans as they cleaned a dojo or prepared for lunch, the way they fumbled but managed to have everyone helping one another. It hadn’t helped him at all. If an Initiate could do it, why couldn’t a Knight? Why couldn’t he get even this right for her?

“Master.” Ahsoka’s voice was frustrated, strained, and worried.

Anakin clutched his shields tighter, lifted the walls, buried himself under stone.

There was a hot flash, like a sunburst as Ahsoka reacted to him pushing her further away. He could feel her outrage and hurt.

“Focus, Snips.” He whispered the words, sinking himself as far as he could into his own small pool of the Force. It was like trying to drown himself in two inches of water.

“How am I supposed to focus when you’re being so childish?”

Anakin clenched his jaw, swallowed, and slowly took in a deep breath. “Meditation is not about those around you, it’s about increasing your connection to the Force.”

“I know what meditation is, and it was going fine until you got pissed off. We were  **sharing** a meditative state, after all.”

_ Karking hells _ . Anakin adjusted his breathing and concentrated on the feeling of his bare feet pressing together. He needed to ground both of them, and he needed to ground them now. “We were, and I’m working on trying to form that again. So please… focus.”

Alright, to be fair that would have worked if his tone had been more relaxed.

“Right, I’m the one with focus issues right now. Just stop dancing around the problem and let me help you solve it, Skyguy.” Ahsoka sat with one knee drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her leg as she stared at a spot just behind him.

Her flippancy only wound him up further. 

“Good try, but it’s not a problem.”

Anakin could only think in that moment about the way that Obi-Wan had settled into a light meditation earlier in the day, and the way Ahsoka had finished her project before easily slipping into a similar state. The way he could see them both mesh in the Force even though they  _ weren’t  _ sharing a meditative state. It had taken Anakin years and years of practice to be able to do something similar with Obi-Wan. It wasn’t fair, Obi-Wan was  **his** Master! They were the open circle!   
  
Ahsoka snorted.

“So why do you look like someone broke their boot off in your ass?”

“You know what?” Anakin opened his eyes, glaring at Ahsoka who glared right back. “It’s not a problem and it’s none of your business. If you want to be stubborn about this, then you can fulfill your meditation requirements with someone else.”

Ahsoka’s cheeks puffed out. “I’m being stubborn?! You’re the one that–”

“We’re done here Padawan. You’re dismissed.”

The words echoed back at him, back until he was ten years old and questioning his lessons. Back to when Obi-Wan had turned shades before snapping at him. Anakin slumped with shame and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I-Ahsoka, I didn’t…”

But she had already left, a small storm swirled in her wake. 

Anakin frowned as he hunched over, acid burning in his throat and a headache pounding just behind his eyes. He slowly boxed up all his emotions until he could breathe again. He pulled on his boots with precise motions, using them to center himself further until his anger burned out. This was supposed to bring them closer together. This was supposed to help them become a better pair, to be better Jedi, and he’d been unable to stop his own petty selfishness long enough to spend thirty minutes with her.

Anakin stared almost listlessly at the spot Ahsoka had sat, the meditation mat he’d lent her missing along with his apprentice. He wouldn’t blame her if she threw it into a reclamation shoot, but all the same that was his favorite mat. After mechanically picking up from their failed session Anakin could only feel drained, exhaustion settling over him like a hundred pounds of chain. He stumbled back towards his room and lowered the lighting to half before turning to sleep off his emotions.

On the pillow of his bed, carefully rolled back up, was his meditation mat. Anakin blinked at it slowly before noticing that Ahsoka had also left a glass of water on his bedside table.

He slid slowly down the wall to sit on the floor as he stared at it, heart racing even as his headache got worse. Okay. 

Okay.

Back to step one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anakin you drama king, please use your words????


	6. Use Your Words Please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Anakin have a blow out, and Obi-Wan is pretty sure he can help. 99% sure. Mostly. At least a little.
> 
> Damned dramatic lineage!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another big thank you to White_Ithiliel for helping me wrangle this thing into something more presentable.
> 
> Happy whatever you celebrate, here's a chapter!

Obi-Wan watched them a like a particularly nervous and frazzled hawk, watching two of his chicks smacking their heads together and unsure which one he would swoop in to protect. He supposed it was brooding in the original sense of the word.

Anakin knocked Ahsoka around the training room with absolute glee, and with absolutely no regard for the way her temper was building up a good head of steam. Of course, Ahsoka’s rash and invasive questions had spun Anakin so tight that Obi-Wan had been worried his former Padawan would burst.

When Anakin had suggested sparring to help them both center and focus, while still getting some defense training in, it had just seemed like good sense.

Anakin performed a quick maneuver that disarmed Ahsoka, and instead of winning gracefully (after all, this was less of a lesson than Anakin had originally implied) he planted his boot on her backside and kicked her forward into a sprawl.

Obi-Wan could feel the storminess gathering around him as he lurched up to his feet. His Padawan had always had trouble dialing his fighting down to someone else’s level, and that went double for when Anakin thought they needed something thrashed out of them. Before he could even so much as make a peep, Ahsoka had rolled and pulled Anakin’s legs out from under him using the Force. Unprepared for his unarmed opponent to strike back, Anakin fell hard on ass. The two glared at one another for a tense moment before Anakin snorted and threw her saber back. Obi-Wan sat down quickly, and hoped they hadn’t noticed him. It seemed whenever he was too overt in his concerns he was “hovering”. Heaven forbid he care about their well being!

“You’re holding the hilt too high for mid guard,” Anakin said as he hauled himself back onto his feet. “And you keep letting me move your point.”

“That’s because I’m not trained with this grip, and it doesn’t feel right when I use it!” Ahsoka all but hissed back.

Anakin sauntered back to the other side of the training room while waving his hand dismissively. An act so unlike him that Obi-Wan knew it was being put on. “It doesn’t feel right because your teachers let you get away with not learning it right the first time.”

Obi-Wan winced. _Oh dear..._

“Didn’t– are you saying that you’re now a better duelist than Master Drallig? Because Master Drallig taught us that if something feels wrong, then we should adjust.” Ahsoka activated her saber before flipping it into her reverse grip for emphasis. “And he approved.”

_Oh no._

“Maybe you should try harder at it first before you demand alterations be made.” Anakin snarled as he flipped around to glare at his apprentice.

Obi-Wan sighed and began making his way down from the observation deck. Where a bout could be cooled with a simple shout of disapproval this would require a far more intrusive touch. He glared at the wooden paneling as he took the steps two at a time.

“I’m not demanding anything, you’re the one demanding I do something that doesn’t work!” Ahsoka shouted back.

At least this had been a closed session. Obi-Wan didn’t care to image what the other masters might have to say about this particular display.

“It works for literally every other Jedi Snips! And it’s better for dueling!” Anakin’s voice echoed oddly around the corner.

“Right, because I spend so much time fighting Dooku instead of droids. My grip is better for blaster deflection, but let's try and change it so I can duel better!”

Obi-Wan finally reached the ground level to find them practically nose to nose, as close as their differing heights would allow.

“Control yourself Padawan!” Anakin’s voice rumbled as he spat the words out.

“You first!” Ahsoka’s voice cracked as she jabbed her free hand at his chest.

Obi-Wan stalked towards them, letting his fear and his frustrations fall off of him. He pictured them like small black moths fluttering off his frame into the breeze as he moved forward.

“I am your Master and—”

Obi-Wan inserted himself between them, one hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder and the other on Anakin’s chest. He kept his voice as soft and firm as he could.

“That’s enough.”

There was a moment of silence – the two had obviously forgotten he was watching – then Ahsoka deactivated her saber and took a single step back. It would have been the mature thing to do if not for the full on sulk she threw herself into, head hung low, but arms crossed tight. Anakin on the other hand was positively livid, almost leaning into Obi-Wan’s touch to get the last look in. When Anakin seemed to realize glaring at Ahsoka wouldn’t make a difference, he turned to look at Obi-Wan with a huff. Obi-Wan held his gaze with a stern glare of his own.

“Oh, so you’re on her side?” Anakin ground the words out as he finally took a half step back, as if it was the worst accusation he could throw at his old Master.

“I am on the side of not watching you two argue like a pair of crechelings. I am also on the side of basic respect,” Obi-Wan said and felt a headache start to bloom. There was a slight flash in the Force as Anakin’s emotions battered away from behind the young man’s shielding. It wasn’t that Anakin projected anymore but there was so much there it blasted out of every crack and from every corner. It often **hurt** when Anakin was upset. Obi-Wan cast a quick glance and saw Ahsoka wince, which prompted him to continue. “I was, finally, under the impression that this was a lesson on tightening up defenses and not an attempt to change Ahsoka’s fighting stance.”

Anakin all but slapped his lightsaber back onto his belt. “Yeah, and she would be able to tighten them up by switching her grip.”

Ahsoka hunched further into herself as they spoke, and Obi-Wan was now highly aware that Anakin was talking as if she wasn’t there at all. It was petulant and childish, two things that Obi-Wan had worked so hard to curb.

“Well, the best teachers also listen to their students and work with them. Not against them.” Obi-Wan snapped before he could get his temper under control.

_Yes, let’s poke the rancor, Kenobi. Brilliant!_

Anakin, for just a moment, wore a terrible frown before his whole face blanked. It was a look that always caused Obi-Wan’s stomach to drop even as it made him want to scream and beat his former Padawan from one end of the room to the other for a little bit of emotive expression himself.

Anakin gave a quick pointed jerk of his hand towards Ahsoka before storming past them both. “Fine. I’ll leave you to it **Master**.”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan barely restrained his wince as the door slammed closed. _Focus, here and now please._ He gave a heavy sigh and ran a hand over his face before activating his comm. “Anakin, that is not what I meant—”

“Of course not, I just have business to attend to elsewhere.”

The line cut.

Ahsoka’s began to growl with aggravation as she stalked over to the bench where their training gear was. Obi-Wan quickly joined her to pick up Anakin’s outer tunics and obi if nothing else, he was the reason Anakin left so he would be the one to help clean up the mess. Ahsoka was practically twitching as she shoved her things back into a small bag, but was clearly intent on ignoring him. Apparently, she was less grateful for his intervention and more upset at her Master.

Their partnership had been a mistake, he thought. The Council had made a poor choice and the two of them were either inseparable or… well. It had been almost three months since Christophsis and Obi-Wan was sure he’d lost three years of his life watching over them both. He could see the problem already, one that he’d stumbled on at first with Anakin. A Jedi Master could be like a friend, but they had authority over you. Too similar in nature and a pairing could fall into this pit. Siblings one moment and nearly enemies the next. Obi-Wan finished folding Anakin’s clothes and noted Ahsoka had simply crammed her Master’s belongings into another bag without any care for their condition.

Explosive personalities tended to unintentionally hurt one another the worst.

Obi-Wan reached a hand out and placed it lightly over hers, causing her to freeze as she was about to jam the rest of Anakin’s things in. From this angle he couldn’t see her face, just felt her trembling. He spoke softly.

“I know you are upset, but do show a little respect please.”

Ahsoka answered by sniffling and then violently turning to throw her own bag across the room with a snarl. Her face was set in stone even as a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

Obi-Wan turned to look at her bag, which had burst open, spilling its contents across the floor. Exhaustion rolled through him for a moment at the sight. He sighed.

“Expedient.”

Ahsoka snorted and started to stomp towards it when Obi-Wan caught her arm. She tried to yank it out of his hand and he quickly turned her to face him instead. He got her other arm before she could try anything foolish. Obi-Wan didn’t think she’d attack him but he could remember all too well reading through the list of fights she’d started. Instead he found Ahsoka looking at the ground again, and this time he could feel that her anger was spent. She had gone practically limp in his grip and then suddenly leaned into him, arms flung around him in a desperate hug. Obi-Wan quickly wrapped his arms around her as she let out a gasping, strangled sound.

“Alright, it’s alright my dear. Come here, come here.” He shuffled them back to sit on the benches and pulled her up into his lap.

Ahsoka didn’t make another sound, but her hands flexed on and off in the back of his tunics and she kept her face buried in his shoulder. Obi-Wan purposefully relaxed his body, leaned back, and began a simple breathing exercise, waiting until she shakily joined him to hum his approval. It was several more minutes before she returned to sniffling. Obi-Wan gave a small grim smile at her scattered belongings. It was a good sign actually. He had read up on Togruta behaviors back when he thought she would be his Padawan. He had been particularly worried to learn that the more upset or more consistently painful something was, the quieter they got. Obi-Wan had been worried that his tendency to assume no news was good news was going to end up hindering them.

If only.

It was an unfair thought, Anakin and Ahsoka would work this out. He knew that they would. He was just being selfish. He would not take away their chance to learn this lesson because he got hot under the collar. Obi-Wan rubbed her back up and down as she worked through the end of her outburst. _Here and now, Kenobi._

Ahsoka cleared her throat and coughed before standing back up. Obi-Wan grabbed her hands when she wouldn’t look at him and asked, “Better?’’

He got a shrug in response and felt his heart sink a little. “Alright, why don’t you get your things packed up and I’ll finish with these.”

Obi-Wan quickly refolded and neatly packed Anakin’s things away, by the time he was done Ahsoka was standing awkwardly by the door.

“With me please.” He spoke as kindly as he could, Ahsoka only hunched in on herself before falling in step with him.

The walk back to Anakin and Ahsoka’s assigned quarters was every bit as awkward and quiet as he feared it would be. What was the appropriate behavior when interacting with the person you wanted as a Padawan but was now your Grandpadawan instead? _Hello I’m jealous of my own Padawan and an elitist, we would’ve been a much better pairing and here’s why I am more qualified to help you through this._ Not so long ago Ahsoka had haltingly admitted to not knowing how to interact with him, and he’d let her know what worked best for him. How could he possibly turn that conversation around without stepping on Anakin’s toes? _Don’t worry about it Anakin, I asked her what the boundaries are first even though you are my Padawan and she’s just the one I wanted to train next. No big deal._ His only consolation was the drama in their lineage had probably been started by Master Yoda, and they were just the distilled version with none of his nine hundred years to temper them.

On arrival, Ahsoka’s voice was a little scratchy as she half heartedly asked him to come in. It was painfully obvious that she rather hoped he wouldn’t. She was also rather wrong.

“Thank you, I’ll put the kettle on while you put your things away and then I think we should talk.” Best to set some obvious boundaries and overtly explain a few things.

Ahsoka’s mumbled response was probably ‘yes Master’ as she palmed the door open and waved him through before darting to her bedroom. It gave Obi-Wan a chance to actually look around Anakin’s new quarters for the first time. It read as ‘depressingly empty most of the time’. Everything was stock and there weren’t many personal items. The stack of dishes by the sink and the small stack of electronics on the low table was rather telling though. Obi-Wan carefully placed Anakin’s bag by his door before absentmindedly rolling up his sleeves and running some hot water in the sink. First thing first though, the kettle was filled while the water was warming and then the dishes all went in. It was endlessly amusing to realize he was still doing his Padawan’s dishes. He was about halfway finished when Ahsoka nervously shuffled back out of her room and blanched on seeing him at the sink.

“Master Obi-Wan, you don’t need to do that!”

He swore that he blinked and she had practically teleported to hover at his side, apparently unsure if she should push him out of the way or not.

Obi-Wan smiled down at her and pointed with one soapy hand. “Of course not, but I thought it could be useful. Would you mind drying for me? I’m nearly out of space.”

Ahsoka quickly dried and put everything away as he methodically washed. When the kettle began to whistle, she efficiently pulled it off the heat and poured them two mugs of tea. He began to get nervous when she was already waiting with a towel for his pruny hands before he’d even turned around. It wasn’t that Ahsoka wasn’t helpful, she was, just not usually **this** overly helpful. Also, Ahsoka didn’t normally tap her fingers like that. He’d hoped a little bit of moving meditation would help, but apparently not.

“Thank you, let’s sit down shall we?” He infused as much calm cheer as he could into his smile and only grew more concerned at the somber nod he got in return. He settled into the frankly uncomfortably soft cushions and balanced his mug on his knee. “Before we start, is there anything you’d like to get off your chest?”

He’d learned – slowly but he’d learned – from Anakin that letting his Padawan speak first was often a good thing. Anakin tended to worry that anything he said after Obi-Wan had talked would be seen as a reaction instead of a revelation. He didn’t know Ahsoka well enough to say for certain it was a good move. All the same, Obi-Wan waited patiently as she worried at her bottom lip and considered how to say what she was thinking. There at least was a difference, Anakin usually blurted out his first thoughts and just thought aloud until it was all in the open. Obi-Wan casually kept looking around their small space and tried to log a few things away to have brought to them to liven the space up. Some decorations. Perhaps a few self care plants?

“I,” Ahsoka hesitated when he turned to look back at her, her own gaze darted back down towards her untouched tea. She took a breath before looking back. “I know that Master Anakin doesn’t like me very much. I’m...not certain that he’s, well, unjustified? I know that the Council was going to dismiss me, probably would have sent me to the Corps. I know I have a temper Master Obi-Wan, and, and I know that I should work on that but sometimes he just– I just don’t know what will happen if I can’t, and Anakin already hates me.”

Obi-Wan, the great negotiator, was a bit beyond gobsmacked. Where in the world had this all been hiding?

“He’s going to dismiss me, isn’t he?” Ahsoka asked with steel in her eyes but worry clouded all around her.

“No! Ahsoka, Anakin is not going to dismiss you from your apprenticeship. Anakin likes you, I know that must be hard to understand right now. He’s, well, he’s difficult and has the emotional range of a particularly angry gundark at times, but Anakin isn’t going to get rid of you.” Obi-Wan leaned forward and nudged a few electronic boards aside to put his mug down. His mind was already speeding a few light-years a minute.

“Sure,” Ahsoka said and rolled her eyes, “Master Skywalker can’t even stand to stay here with me when we’re off the front line, but sure he likes me. Look, I’m not looking for assurances, I just want to know what’s going to happen when he does.”

_Damned lineage and our damned dramatic nature!_

Obi-Wan leaned forward and brushed his fingertips across her knees before placing them on her hands. “And I promise you that while I hope you take comfort in these words, they are nothing but truth. Anakin is already being looked after for being attached to you. He is not going to dismiss you and no one is going to shunt you aside.”

He got an odd sense of bubbling panic even as she physically maintained a rather contained outward presence. But he could practically hear the accusation. _You can’t know that, you can’t promise that!_ He bundled up his own sense of pride and love and determination and pushed it to her. It disrupted whatever broken logic loop she’d been stuck in, and for the first time Ahsoka looked into his eyes. Actually into his eyes.

“Ahsoka, it’s true. And even if I was somehow so far off base as to have lied to you here you would not be put in the Service Corps.” Obi-Wan, caught up in his own emotional loop didn’t manage to catch up to his mouth before the words spilled out. “I know that for a fact because I had claimed you before you were assigned to Anakin.”

_Oh. Oh no, that wasn’t, oh fantastic job Kenobi, real bang up job! Way to make her feel put in the middle!_

Shock, giddiness, disbelief, and the start of a wildly embarrassing sort of joy slammed into his frame hard enough that Obi-Wan was surprised it hadn’t physically jerked him back. Well this was rather invasive now, Ahsoka hadn’t exactly initiated this contact and he couldn’t say for sure that she appreciated him digging around in her mind. He was quickly pelted with a firm command to not draw back as Ahsoka fumbled for a spot to put her mug, one hand gripping his in absolute desperation. Desperate for the openness it provided and desperate for the physical contact. The absolutely dismissive and somehow deeply fond word so clear she could have spoken it aloud for the clarity of it. _Humans!_ Ahsoka’s lekku turned a few shades as she glanced up at him. The words didn’t quite form as she tried to push them over, flooding him with a general sense of trepidation. Apparently worried she’d offended him.

Obi-Wan smiled and squeezed her hand back. “I tend to agree wholeheartedly.”

Ahsoka started, apparently having forgotten they could talk. “You claimed me?”

 _No one claimed me, no one wanted me._ The thought was sent by both of them.

His smile grew brittle on the edges as he chuckled. “I saw a striking resemblance to someone I knew rather well between us, and frankly didn’t care to see anything happen to you like happened to me. Yoda was the one who decided to overrule my claim by assigning you.”

Unlike Ahsoka, Obi-Wan was a Jedi Master and sitting on the high Council. He’d learned a few tricks to keeping himself a bit more hidden for these sort of exchanges. No need to send her all his uncertainty and doubt after all. Emotions he had hoped would have faded by now.

“What do you mean you saw a resemblance between us, Master Obi-Wan?” She was excited, she was shy, she was nervous, she was looking for hope.

He released her hand, and shifted to sit next to her. He draped one arm over the back of the couch and found himself being leaned on heavily.

“You see, a scant few weeks before my thirteenth birthday I beat another initiate up for belittling some of my clan mates. And by beat up, I mean put in the Healer’s Ward to recover from a broken nose and some heavily bruised ribs. No one was willing to take on such an angry Padawan, so on my thirteenth birthday I was shipped out to the Agricultural Corps. Of course, the ship was hijacked by pirates and I was supposed to be sold into slavery. So the farmer thing didn’t work out. Master Jinn came to rescue the ship and at the end of it all took me on as his Padawan.”

Obi-Wan gave her a chance to absorb that before moving on, “Ahsoka, you aren’t wrong. There is much concern over your emotions. And if Anakin can’t find it in himself to pull his head out his ass let me know, because I want to help.”

There was a pause before she sat up straighter and looked at him. Goodness he was grateful that she felt comfortable around him now. Eye contact, he’d never realized how much he cared if someone wanted to look him in the eyes. Obi-Wan smiled and tried to keep himself as open as he could. Ahsoka appeared to find whatever she was looking for, because she gently tapped their foreheads together before snuggling down again. Whatever had been snarled up inside her finally loosening and breaking off.

“I was afraid of you.” She whispered the words. It sounded as loudly as bells in his head. “I was afraid you wouldn’t approve of me being so... I thought you were—”

“I know,” he interrupted, not sure he wanted to hear the rest, “that my reputation as an angry, violent killer tends to get around the halls Ahsoka, but I promise you—”

She punched him in the chest. Obi-Wan couldn’t remember the last time someone had felt so at ease with him as to lightly assault him in rebuke. Not that it had been hard, but firm enough to get his attention. Her piercing gaze effectively pinned his tongue down. “Not because of that, I mean, a little at first, but you just seemed so strict and so dedicated to the Code. I figured you’d spend a few hours with me and think I wasn’t worthy of being Skyguy’s Padawan. I was afraid you’d figure out that I’m a bad Jedi and you’d be the first one to want me gone.”

Obi-Wan had barely taken a breath to speak when she punched him again. In the same spot. It hurt a little more this time and was not nearly as endearing. Quinlan’s grinning face flashed before his eyes. “Ow.”

“Sorry? Look, what I’m trying to say is thank you. You’re a lot more complex than I thought. So thank you for understanding and, and thank you for not giving up on me when everyone else did.” Ahsoka floated their mugs back over and grabbed hers.

Obi-Wan sighed as he took his from her. Inappropriate use of the Force, but he decided to let it go this time. “You are welcome my dear. I do mean it though, if Anakin ever gets hit over the head, loses his memory, and doesn’t want you around because he’s gone completely mad, I would be honored to teach you.”

He glanced down at the top of her head and was gratified to see it duck down in delighted embarrassment. The silence dragged out for a moment before she spoke again.

“Sooooo, about this afternoon?”

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. “Keep the reverse grip, I’ll talk to Anakin about respecting boundaries, and please try not to poke the krayt dragon in the meantime?”

Ahsoka snorted, “When would I have the chance? He’s never here in the evenings anyways!”

It took him far too long to put two and two together. Anakin, not in his quarters at night on Coruscant. Padme, unavailable for dinner or to talk tonight, one of Obi-Wan’s rare nights free. Would it kill them to even try and keep it a tiny bit of a secret? Honestly, how did Anakin expect him to keep covering when he was not even trying? Obi-Wan could only pretend to look the other way so many times. He remembered far more vividly than he should the moments after Geonosis where the two kissed as if he hadn’t  been standing right there. Ahsoka probably hadn’t figured it out yet just due to how new she was.

“Right. I’ll talk to him about that too. Give me a few hours and then I expect to hear all about your report on the early period riots on Coruscant when I return.” Obi-Wan patted her shoulder as he stood and tried not to laugh at her moaning. “Education is important Ahsoka.”

“Yes Master,” she grumbled half heartedly. “Don’t feel like you have to rush back.”

Obi-Wan finished his now cold tea and gave her a pointed look. “That is code for ‘I haven’t started yet’, and that report is due tomorrow.”

“Maybe? Wait, are you keeping tabs on me?” She was smiling too much for the act to have any appreciable impact.

Obi-Wan paused in the door and lifted an eyebrow at her before tossing his mug to her. “That’s what Masters **do** Ahsoka. You have two hours before the responsible one of your Masters returns. Tomorrow you can worry about proving to Anakin that your grip is fine. After that you can worry about reciting the ten poems of Shantil to me. Then we can worry about your mechanical lessons with Anakin. Then—"

Ahsoka pusheed him physically out of their quarters. “What sorry can’t hear you over the door!”

It closed in his face and he grinned.

“This isn’t over!” He shouted through it, ignoring the way a few Knights stared at him.

Ahsoka’s voice was muffled, “Door. Can’t hear you!”

Well, that was one Padawan soothed and calmed. Obi-Wan turned and headed for the hangers. Now was time to take care of angry Padawan number two.

He was rather proud of the way he acted surprised to see Anakin in Padme’s office, in case anyone saw him entering. Although, judging by Padme’s subtle glare, she'd caught onto him. Well, perhaps having three cups brought with the teapot had been poor planning. Obi-Wan was all warm smiles and relaxed contentment as he poured for them. It was a trick he’d learned — if the Force was suffused with someone else’s calm, most people in the direct vicinity would calm down a bit as well. He only hoped that Anakin could feel it through all the emotions swirling around him.

Anakin had lost his fighting edge, but sat awkwardly straight backed and radiating with guilt. His former apprentice refused to make eye contact. Obi-Wan still tried to meet his eyes and didn’t allow his own hurt to shine.

Obi-Wan also tried to push his gratitude to Padme through nothing more than force or will, knowing that she probably sympathized where appropriate and reamed Anakin for his behavior. Honestly, he mostly let them be because he cared about them and wanted them to be happy, but there was a bonus to having someone who could reliably get Anakin in line.

Once everyone had a soothing cup of seven flower tea, Obi-Wan leaned back into his seat, crossed his legs, threw an arm over the back of the couch, and smiled.

“So, how is everything?” Obi-Wan might have been here to give Anakin a lesson, but he was also here to make sure Anakin was alright. In a third twist he was also hoping that Padme was alright, goodness knew what that poor woman must deal with in the senate day in and out. And really, there was no need for him to be rude about it all.

“Well, the usual fighting on the floor, a few bills skipped, a few bills passed, a few fist fights overcome – you know how it is.” Padme smirked at him over her tea, and her eyes didn’t even flick to Anakin once.

Oh, she could be so good at this.

Anakin, on the other hand, shifted in his seat as if he was not sure whether he should sit closer to Obi-Wan or how far he could push sitting close to Padme. Anakin’s clear blue eyes scanned everywhere in the room except for the space that Obi-Wan was sitting in, and his shoulders had inched up to his ears. It was honestly a good thing that he was holding the delicate tea cup in his flesh hand, this riled up he’d have broken it by now otherwise.

“Yes, yes, what’s a few assassination attempts in the face of justice? Although I’m sure you’ve also started your own share of those brawls.” Obi-Wan did his best to sneer down his nose. “Honestly my dear, you can be so uncivilized.”

Padme dipped her head with a half smile, two fingers pointed at him and eyes fully open. Oh dear, it was both an acknowledgment of the truth in his words and a rebuke for a perceived slight. Or at least he was pretty sure it was, it had been so long since Padme had taught him some basic nonverbal signals used during her tenure as Queen. Not at all eager for her annoyance to be turned on him, Obi-Wan did the smart thing.

“Well, anyways, I am glad I ran into you Anakin. I wasn’t sure a comm call would be welcome or not, and I didn’t want to upset you if you needed time–”

“It’s fine.” Anakin interrupted him with a nervous edge to his voice. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness Master, but I’m, I am no longer feeling so… unbalanced.”

Anakin's formal code for ‘I karked this up and I am really sorry and I don’t want you to be mad at me and I’m not sure how to do this casually so here we are’.

Obi-Wan bundled up his soft fondness, his pride at Anakin for getting a handle on this so quickly, and his total acceptance of his former apprentice. And he sent it gently down their training bond. There was a slight shudder as Anakin released a shaky breath, his head dipping to grin at the floor. Gratitude, appreciation, love. Padme looked between them with a half cocked eyebrow, aware that something was happening but not sure exactly what. Perceptive as always.

“Good,” Obi-Wan tapped his fingers against the side of his tea cup, and took a sip. “I would suggest then, perhaps, you should give your Padawan a call.”

Anakin’s smile turned into a grimace and he half chugged his own drink, and immediately started to sputter. Obi-Wan knew he’d taught Anakin better than that, but nerves would do that. Anakin’s voice was rough as he coughed. “Oh that’s hot!”

Padme rolled her eyes affectionately. “Yes, it is a hot beverage.”

Anakin glared at her, but his relief was palpable. Obi-Wan didn’t allow the opening to form. “Anakin, I’m serious, Ahsoka was… well, Ahsoka was worried she’d pushed you too far.”

 _Take the hint,_ he begged in his own mind, _please take the hint._

Anakin did not take the hint at all. “Worried? Why would she be worried? She seemed furious when I left.”

Padme made a show of throwing her free hand in the air and walking to the windows to give them space to talk. Obi-Wan was fully aware that the spot she had chosen was perfect for eavesdropping on a conversation anywhere in the front and he wondered if she knew he knew. Anakin was blissfully oblivious… or perhaps he was grateful that she could listen in.

“She was when you left. I took her back to your quarters though, and I assure you it was beyond burned out by then. Ahsoka believes – Anakin, Ahsoka is very nervous that **you** are still angry at her.” Obi-Wan waited for a moment as Anakin flushed with more shame. “Anakin, she thinks you hate her.”

“What? Hate her, hate Snips? Why would she – I don’t hate her!” Anakin was up in a heartbeat his half full cup abandoned on a low glass table as he paced, arms pinned tightly across his chest. “She knows that! She’s my Padawan, I’m proud of her!”

“Perhaps you should call and tell her that,” Obi-Wan said, frowning slightly as Anakin looked almost more paranoid at the suggestion.

“Right, because it’s that easy – hey Snips, I know I screwed up today and you probably hate me at this point but I really think you’re great?” Anakin glared as he started stomping around.

Padme sighed and gave up on pretending she couldn’t hear Anakin half yelling. “Don’t start with that. How about you start with an apology and then tell her you’re proud of her?”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan hopped in, “and she did mention that she doesn’t usually see you much at night. Perhaps you could further extrapolate on that apology in person. Tonight.”

Anakin flushed red, one hand running through his hair as he glanced at Padme, who had gone stone cold in person and in the Force. Anakin cleared his throat before saying, “I do go back to my quarters!”

Obi-Wan was not sure who was supposed to be convinced by this, but he kept his face blank. “Of course you do. Perhaps you should give her a call to apologize and let Ahsoka know that you’ll be back tonight. Then we can head back to the Temple together.”

Anakin shrugged before retreating further into Padme’s office to make the call, and Obi-Wan joined Padme by the window. The two of them looked out towards the temple for a moment before Obi-Wan smiled at her. He whispered, “Thank you, by the way, for helping him.”

Where Obi-Wan knew he couldn't tell Anakin that he was perfectly aware of his relationship, it was essentially an open secret between him and Padme. Padme who'd learned that Obi-Wan did cover and even created opportunities for them to be together. She had sent him a damned fruit basket in thanks once, for goodness' sake.

“Of course,” she whispered into her empty cup. “He cares too deeply sometimes, and lets that get in the way.”

They stood in silence as Obi-Wan took that in. This made far more sense, Anakin wouldn’t be so damned pushy if he just thought it was a better fighting form. Anakin had always been the first one to tell initiates it was alright to do things their own way. He felt a bit dense for not having thought of it earlier. Obi-Wan spoke to the window, “He doesn’t want her to get hurt.”

Anakin’s call ended and Padme glanced at Obi-Wan, before correcting him. “He’s afraid of her getting killed.”

Obi-Wan didn’t get a chance to respond as Anakin clapped a hand on his shoulder. A pulse over the bond, determination.

“Well, I think that’s my cue Senator. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.” Obi-Wan bowed and returned his cup to the tea tray.

“Of course, you know I’m always happy to see you Master Kenobi.” Padme slipped into the role with terrible ease. She nodded at Anakin and gave him a polite smile. “Knight Skywalker.”

Anakin mimicked Obi-Wan’s bow with a reverent, “My lady.”

_Not very subtle, Padawan._

They walked in silence to the hanger and Obi-Wan forced Anakin into the passenger seat. No escaping a big talk just because he was “concentrating on flying”. Obi-Wan got them settled, selected a long route, and set the auto pilot.

“Just say whatever it is you want to say.” Anakin was tense, his shoulders drawn up and his jaw set. Whatever ease he’d found at Padme’s appeared to be disintegrating rapidly.

Obi-Wan ran a hand through his hair and shifted in his seat to better face his former apprentice. “Anakin, I’m not saying that you can’t be upset but you need to learn to control that with Ahsoka.”

Anakin didn’t argue, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “I am trying Master.”

Obi-Wan was tempted to hold his hand the way he’d held Ahsoka’s, but he was not sure the touch would be welcome at all. “I know you are, and for the most part you are doing a wonderful job. The problem becomes communication. If she doesn’t know why you’re upset, well, Ahsoka has some self-esteem issues.”

That snapped Anakin out of it, his head whipping around to stare wide eyed. “She, what, no, Ahsoka is amazing! We’ve had more trouble with her ego and stubbornness than anything else!”

Obi-Wan wondered if he was ever this oblivious, and promptly stomped down on all the memories of him being **exactly** this oblivious.

“Anakin… no. Ahsoka is stubborn, but she is also convinced she’s a terrible Jedi and is constantly looking for your approval. Half of her stunts are done because she thinks she’s right and the other half are her trying to prove herself worthy to you.”

Anakin’s mouth flapped open and closed a few times before he slumped. “Why though, I mean, if anyone is unworthy it’s me. Ahsoka is great, she’s a quick learner and she’s so compassionate. She deserves another teacher, a better teacher than me.”

Obi-Wan smiled slightly. _Me and my dramatic children._ “She doesn’t **want** another Master, Anakin. She wants you, and she honestly thinks you don’t like her at all.”

Anakin stared at him as if he was willing Obi-Wan’s words to make sense in another way. As if looking for another meaning behind them. He wished they did.

“Anakin, I, well, I also wanted to speak to you to let you know a bit of what we talked about besides that.” Obi-Wan nervously cleared his throat. He had already made the mistake, so it was time to see it through. “Ahsoka was worried she was going to be dismissed by you – no, let me finish! She thought you were going to dismiss her and that no one else would take her because Ahsoka was slated to go to the Service Corps.”

Anakin had gone intensely quiet. His whole body frozen up as he made sure to absorb every single ounce of information.

“She was. That’s the thing, she was supposed to be placed in the Agri-Corps. The only reason she wasn’t when her fifteenth birthday hit was, well – there’s no good way to say this. I told her so, it’s only fair I tell you too. I declared my intent to train her to the Council and Master Yoda approved it.” Obi-Wan forged ahead, speaking through Anakin’s flaring shock and anger. “That’s why I was so sure she was my Padawan when she arrived on Christophsis. I – I honestly thought she would be. Then it turned out that Master Yoda rescinded my declaration because he felt you would be the better Master for her.”

Obi-Wan finally cracked a bit, seeing Anakin’s pale, poleaxed face. He reached out and put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder, and he smiled through his pain. “Anakin, I believe that Master Yoda was correct. There is no better teacher for her. I am proud of you, Padawan.”

Anakin stared hard at Obi-Wan’s tabards as if they held the answers to whatever questions were swirling around in his head. Obi-Wan took his own ego and shredded it because he had meant what he had said, he did, and he needed to recognize it more often. His jealousy could be terrible and he needed to end it now, before he hurt anyone else with it.

Anakin’s voice was so small he barely heard it over the wind and traffic. “I don’t understand.”

Anakin finally looked up at him again, and Obi-Wan could see Anakin at ten looking up with the same hurt confusion. “I don’t understand, Master – you declared, you made a claim. And I, I’ve been nothing but an ass this whole apprenticeship. No matter what I do I feel like I’m just dragging her down with me. Like today, I couldn’t keep my temper in check and I couldn’t help her. But you helped both of us while I was busy… running away.”

Obi-Wan slid his hand down to hold Anakin’s own – they had passed some barrier, crossed some line, and he knew now that it would be accepted. There was a pause as Anakin immediately got everything that Obi-Wan was feeling, everything he was thinking. Everything that he wanted and feared and believed in his core. Obi-Wan left himself completely open as Anakin sorted through it all, and then softly, slowly withdrew again. His hand now back on the yoke. Anakin was so much lighter in the Force, but he was quiet and still. A sure sign that he was thinking. They both stared at the Temple as Obi-Wan took them down into a hanger to land. They both sat in contemplation before Anakin spoke.

“I’m gonna need your help on this one, Master.” He grinned as he hopped out of the speeder without using the ladder a droid had so helpfully provided. “I have to do this one perfectly.”

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and leapt out after him and ignored the droid’s annoyed bleeping. “Of course, that is what I’m here for, Anakin.”

“Alright. Alright, so the first thing I need to do is get some food,” Anakin held his hands up as Obi-Wan glared, “Not for me old man! To start an apology to Ahsoka. Food and some water to start it all off, I’ll cook it and then the two of us will talk.”

“So what do you need me for?” Obi-Wan sighed.

“To distract Chef Orssu while I grab some raw meat and spices.” Anakin flashed his most winning grin before heading off, forcing Obi-Wan to scurry after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It will be a bit before the next chapter gets posted, the original chapter 7 needs to be scooted down a few spots, so I need to figure something else out in the meantime. I'm still in the high work flow part of my job with recruitment, so I'm not sure when things will get done exactly.
> 
> As always, let me know what you think and feel free to leave any suggestions or requests! :)


	7. Dreams Will Pass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan has plenty of experience with bad dreams, and is determined to help Ahsoka through her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As requested by a guest in the last chapter, some additional bonding time between our favs.
> 
> Also, I'm not dead! *gray confetti listlessly drops from the ceiling* Things are going a bit slower than anticipated but we are still a go-go.

Obi-Wan woke up with a jerk and a pounding heart. At any other point this week he would have been on his feet and running for their command center, but with the training exercise completed Obi-Wan had been expecting an uninterrupted night’s sleep. Yet he’d still heard a warning in the Force, one that was already fading fast. He squinted up into the dark shifting shadows and let the the swaying motion of the tree branches soothe him. It felt like his mind was struggling through honey. He was afraid. Had been afraid, rather. Not an attack, nothing wrong, no nightmare... Obi-Wan rolled onto his stomach and scratched at his cheek, letting his drowsiness pull him back down.  _ Perhaps it was nothing. _

There was a spike of fear drowning under anger and hopelessness in the Force. Just for a moment. A split second. It was far more than enough.

Obi-Wan bolted upright and listened, not with his ears this time but with his senses. The emotions acted like pebbles dropped into a calm pool, the ripples faint but still leading him. It was close. Someone was in trouble nearby? Why couldn’t heㅡ

It pulled him under again. For a moment he was drowning, choking on air and light and  **stars** .

Obi-Wan still managed to get out of his sleeping bag, despite feeling vaguely like he was dying. That was Ahsoka. That was  **Ahsoka** ! It felt like he was walking through gel, his jumbled brain now on alert. He was breathing far too fast. He needed to stop panicking. He couldn’t help anyone if he was panicking. Why was he? What was happening?

_ Breathe, here and now, it’s not your emotions.  _

Wrestling his control back, Obi-Wan paused his stumbling jog. He took a slow deep breath as he leaned against one of the thin tree trunks. When he’d first taken on Anakin there had been an increasing number of nightmares, and then a shocking increase in night terrors. It had taken years to get Anakin the help he needed, but the nightmares did pass. Eventually Anakin would easily sleep through the night while Obi-Wan stayed up late, nervously waiting in case another bad dream struck. What he’d learned had been beyond helpful as his own nightmares came and went. 

The first step was to put up a temporary barrier. Something that wouldn’t hurt either of them but wouldn’t allow for any sort of easy access. Obi-Wan looked at the bond he now shared with Ahsoka, the fragile little connection between them writhing and twisting as he put a sliding glass door over it.

His head throbbed as another wash of emotions pushed on the door and receded.  _ Good. _

This time he was able to walk, head clear and breathing steady. As soon as he saw Ahsoka’s hammock strung between the trees the Force went deadly still. Obi-Wan forced himself to stay calm and steady. This was exactly what the barrier was for, no matter how disconcerting it was to no longer feel her there in a corner of his mind.

“Ahsoka,” he whispered, slowly and carefully crouching down to look in on her. His heart shattered.

Her eyes were open, one hand over her mouth in a white knuckle grip and the other locked around the back of her neck. She was completely still and barely breathing, and didn’t react when he moved into her sight. The hand over her mouth somehow tightened further, her nails biting into her cheeks, and Obi-Wan instinctively reached for her hand to stop it.

It was like a switch had been flipped. Ahsoka grabbed his wrist lightning fast, teeth bared as she growled at him. The little shards left from his heart plummet to his feet. Skin to skin the wave of fear and anger was white hot against his soul.

“Ahsoka, it’s just me, Obi-Wan. We just finished a training mission. You went to sleep.” Her grip tightened even as her eyes finally started to focus. He smiled down at her and hoped it at least looked genuine. Her knowing just how rattled he was probably wouldn’t help. When she finally looked at him, Obi-Wan softly whispered, “Why, hello there.”

Ahsoka blinked, head tilting in confusion causing light to reflect back at him in yellow greens. “Master Obi-Wan?”

“Last I checked,” he quipped before clearing his throat. Stars above, she had a hell of a grip! “If you would be so kind?”

She blinked at him before suddenly looking at her own hand. Ahsoka dropped his wrist as though it was molten metal, and somehow dropped her eyes despite being lying down. Obi-Wan carefully gripped the opposite side of the hammock and sat down on the damp grass. 

It took a few moments of silence for him to realize she was not going to do anything. Not talk to him, not talk with him, and certainly not interact with him is she could help it. He fumbled for anything to say before noticing her other hand was still locked around the back of her neck. He probably wouldn't bruise from where she’d grabbed him, but he could already see little crescents blooming across her cheek. He automatically started to reach for her hand again before stopping himself. Ahsoka’s gaze flicked up towards him and she curled slightly in on herself.

_ You are an idiot Kenobi. _

“Sorry,” they both mumbled as she snapped her hand down hard enough to smack against her legs before he could finish reaching for her.

Obi-Wan winced. She was going to be covered in bruises at this rate.  _ Not helping. _ He softly cleared his throat before forging ahead. “I’m here if you want to talk about it.”

Ahsoka chewed at her lower lip, hand half raising up before dropping back down onto her leg with another smack. He still couldn’t sense her in the Force, but he was not sure he should drop that barrier just yet though. It left him feeling blind and helpless.

“...I  can also leave if that’s what you need.” He didn’t like making that offer, not one bit, but if this were reversed Obi-Wan thought he’d rather try to phase through the ground than talk about his feelings with anyone.

Ahsoka jerked slightly, almost as if she was fighting with herself before she spoke. It sounded like she was trying to be nonchalant while still trying not to cry. “You don’t have to go.”

“I must say, it’s a relief to hear that.” 

Ahsoka flashed a small smile up at him and he returned it, hoping that she knew he meant this smile, that he was not putting it on.

_ Here and now. _ Qui Gon whispered from his memories.

With nothing else to do Obi-Wan slowly pushed and pulled on the hammock’s edge, enjoying the way it felt under his palm. It was unconscious at first but as Ahsoka slowly relaxed, inch by inch sinking back, he did it a little harder and dropped the barrier. A pleasant soft comfort floated around her even as a few darker twinges flashed and skittered under the surface. The worst had passed though.

“It was really stupid,” she started, before hesitating.

He bit back on his immediate reaction to rebuke her self-depreciation. Clearly it hadn't been something stupid, but sometimes saying things that bluntly made Ahsoka clam up. He forced his focus on the rocking motion and kept his eyes trained just to the right of her face.  _ Push, pull, push, pull, breathe in, breathe out. _

Ahsoka opened and closed her mouth a few times as if the words kept evading her grasp. With frustrated browns and sour green notes slowly leaking off her, she eventually settled on, “Sorry I woke you.”

Obi-Wan was pretty sure he managed to hide his hurt from her.  _ It’s her story to tell, not yours to demand. _ He concentrated on the cold damp patch spreading over his backside and thighs, on the way the wind tugged at his beard. If there was one thing he had learned as a Master, it was that Padawans need to have some secrets. He spoke even as he centered himself.

“I’m not upset. Honestly, I’m relieved you did. I’ve had my fair share of bad dreams too, and I wish someone would have snapped me out of them," he said, shrugging lightly and forcing himself not to look at her as soon as he felt her eyes on him. It took more effort to continue than he would have liked to admit. “I probably should have been a little more open about them when I was younger. Gotten help a lot sooner.”

His mind scoffed at him.  _ Gotten help at all. _

“So what do you do… when…?”

He felt a bit like an idiot for not having expected the question. Obi-Wan was pretty sure laughing it off and pretending it hadn’t happened wasn’t an acceptable answer. What did he do? “Often I practice some mindfulness meditation, but sometimes I’ll read or do some research.”

Ahsoka snorted and immediately looked mortified by herself.

Obi-Wan chuckled. Being teased, this at least was normal, “I either want to ground myself, distract myself for a while, or completely dive into the topic that was worrying. Ghost aren’t nearly so scary if you know their names, I’ve found.”

He was pretty sure he could hear Qui Gon laughing at him. Wasn’t he supposed to have a way with words?

Perhaps sensing his discomfort or frustration, Ahsoka didn’t say anything about it.

They lapsed again into silence, but this time it was far more comfortable. He only stopped mentally trying to slap himself back into some semblance of ‘wise Master Kenobi’ when he realized that Ahsoka was humming. The song was soft, contained and short, but he listened as if she was the lead for some grand opera. When she finished, Obi-Wan finally looked at her. Ahsoka’s eyes were closed as she focused on something inside herself. He only hesitated a moment before imitating her and starting humming a song he’d heard long ago. He didn’t remember the lyrics at all, and a few times he made up simple bridges to get him to the next verse when his memory failed him, but Ahsoka listened intently, a grin slowly blooming across her face. Obi-Wan flushed slightly as he finished and rolled his eyes when Ahsoka softly clapped.

He half bowed, even dipping his head as she giggled softly.

Looking at her now, she seemed tired. Far more relaxed and confident...and deeply amused.  _ All is right once more. _

“Was it that bad?” he asked. 

Ahsoka shook her head in reassurance, but was obviously fighting off her drowsiness. He was not surprised, as the training exercise had kept her up for a frankly astounding twenty two hours straight. Between her age and need to take small regular naps, it was a miracle she had been able to stay alert and walk herself over here instead of collapsing when they’d passed with flying colors. Typically he would have sent her back a few times to catch at least fifteen minutes here and there, but there had just been no way to do it. Now that he was thinking about it, Obi-Wan felt his own exhaustion hit him like a ton of bricks. Even the cold, damp grass seemed inviting right now.

“Well, unless you’d like me to stay longer, I think we best be off to bed. We can talk more in the morning, alright?” Obi-Wan waited a moment before realizing that she’d already fallen asleep. He slowly got up, knees creaking and back popping, with a soft grunt. Huffing, “Mission accomplished.”

He got all the way back to his bag before pausing in thought. Tapping his communicator, Obi-Wan waited for Cody to pick up.

“ _ Sir? _ ”

“Cody, can you forward Rex the contact information for Healer Bloom? Let him know we got Ahsoka set up with her but never had that first appointment. I’m afraid I forgot to give it to Anakin.”

“ _ Of course. Anything else? Perhaps the armor mods? _ ” he suggested drily. 

“Not now, thank you Cody.”

Obi-Wan looked up at the stars for a few minutes and let himself relax again. He would talk to her again in the morning, and he’d let Anakin know. He could practically feel Qui Gon’s fingers running through his hair, the whispered words bringing him comfort now as they did then. 

_ “Dreams will pass.” _

He hoped these too would pass.

It took less than a minute for him to fall into a dreamless sleep once he’d curled back up in his sleeping bag.

When morning finally came, Obi-Wan found himself glaring half heartedly at the sunrise. He could really have slept for another day. Two days. His whole body ached and his head was throbbing. Obi-Wan rolled onto his back and gave himself exactly two minutes to lay there before forcing his way up. It’s easy to roll up the bag, put on his boots, and run a hand through his hair. By the time he'd actually put his pack together, Obi-Wan almost felt human again.

“Rough night sir?” Cody asked from a polite distance.

Anyone else might mistake his tone for genuine concern, but Obi-Wan had learned to read his Commander’s humor rather well. Smarmy bastard.

“Mmm, my old nemesis, the linear progression of time," he said as brightly as he could.

Cody barely lifted his brows, but his mouth twitched up into a smirk all the same. The Force was relaxed – no emergency, no orders to relay. Curiosity did kill the cat.

“Something on your mind Cody?” Obi-Wan said as made sure everything was strapped down properly, before standing up. 

The two fell into step as Obi-Wan walked them towards the smell of breakfast. Cody tapped lightly on his bucket, before asking softly, “Kid alright?”

Obi-Wan sighed. Right. “She’ll be fine.”

The camp was slowly coming alive, troopers in yellows and blues waking and packing. Quickly starting to break down their shelters and prep their gear to load up in a few short hours. Likewise the planet was waking. Blackbacks trilled in a call and response, and he could feel a few smaller animals skittering around the forest. Force, he wished they could spend another day here just to enjoy the serenity of it all.

“Nightmares?” Cody asked, quickly waving off a few troopers who looked like they were about to join them.

“Too perceptive for your own good," Obi-Wan grumbled with fake exasperation.

“That’s why I got the stripes, and why I was assigned to you sir.” Cody’s pointed look is quickly followed by a soft frown. “I’m all ears if she wants someone to talk to.”

Obi-Wan clasped Cody’s shoulder for a moment, heart swelling slightly with pride. “I’m sure she’d appreciate the offer.”

He quickly grabbed his MRE and filled his canteen with water from the purifier before looking for a spot to sit. A few yards away, sitting on a small rock, Ahsoka was sharing her meal with one of the men from the 501st. Obi-Wan wracked his brain for a name and hated that he was forced to look at Cody.

“Echo, that’ll be Fives going over now. Rishi.” Cody jerked his chin towards another trooper who was smiling as he flopped down with them. “Good boys for the job.”

Obi-Wan nodded and quickly pulled his gaze away. If Ahsoka could tell he was looking she was likely to invite him over and interrupt whatever the three of them are talking about. “Excellent.”

The two of them fell into an easy silence as they eat. Obi-Wan didn’t look again although he did tap a gentle greeting to Ahsoka, who sent the equivalent of an excited wave. That did more to shake of the last of his trepidation than the re-hydrated, reheated food did Although he did have to admit he was getting rather fond of this one. Good old number 7 – didn’t taste like eggs and nuna in the least but it'd always got the right textures. When they had both finished and were tossing their trash, Ahsoka connected back to his hip where she was supposed to be learning about command.

“Good morning Ahsoka," he smiled down at her.

Ahsoka bumped his arm lightly with her elbow, “Good morning Master Obi-Wan. Commander Cody.”

“Sir.”

Obi-Wan pulled out his datapad, and directed the three of them to the side. Cody handed one of his datapads to Ahsoka, who looked at them in confusion, and then dawning horror.

“No better way to start the day than logistics! Wouldn’t you agree Cody?” Obi-Wan did nothing to hide his smile.

Cody looked at Ahsoka, face blank and voice nearly monotone. “The perfect thing to wake you up, or pick you up after a rough night.”

“Great,” Ahsoka said as she rolled her eyes but started looking through the numbers anyways, “exactly what I need then.”

They were up to their eyeballs in requisitions, surplus requests, and credit calculations when Obi-Wan remembered that he had meant to speak with her about her dream before they got going. He promised himself he’d ask on the transport.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Clones and their tiny Commander.


	8. Communication is Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Rex would like everyone to actually, you know, successfully communicate someday. Then it occurs to him that he can do that.
> 
> Then Torrent decides that they will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you to White_Ithiliel for beta reading this chapter and helping me make sense of it! Also, shout out to everyone dropping me comments to nudge me along in the writing process because I need the help. :)

**[CC-2224 C.2350.2587.LPBT]** _Packet 10023472.032 Sent_

**[CT-7567 C.2351.2587.LPT]** What’s all this then?

**[CC-2224 C.2356.2587.LPBT]** _Packet 10023472.033 Sent_

**[CT-7567 C.2411.2587.LPT]** Should I be concerned?

**[CC-2224 C.2412.2587.LPT]** Negative, request from Gen Kenobi. You’re welcome. Took a damned two week to get that compiled before Skywalker stole our commander.

**[CT-7567 C.2443.2587.LPT]** Can’t distract me that easily, she’s  **ours** , and what prompted this now?

**[CC-2224 C.2444.2587.LPT]** Nightmares during training. Holding up, no flashes. Gen Kenobi thought this could help.

**[CC-2224 C.2444.2587.LPBT]** _ Packet 10023472.034 Sent _

**[CT-7567 C.2445.2587.LPT]** What the kriff, Codes?

**[CC-2224 C.2446.2587.LPT]** Compliments from 2-1-2. Sign Skywalker up too, poor barve could use a psych eval.

**[CT-7567 C.2450.2587.LPT]** At this rate, I could use it more.

**[CC-2224 C.2452.2587.LPT]** Heard bolts work just as well for us.

**[CC-2224 T.0112.2587.LPT]** Still there?

_ Transmission Returned _

**[CC-2224 T.0113.2587.LPT]** Ass.

_ Transmission Returned _

 

* * *

Considering that he should have hit rack hours before the series of concerning burst packet transmissions had kept him up, Rex wasn’t doing half bad. PT had come and gone, grooming done, breakfast eaten, and finally he’d hit the deck in his armored boots. He’d even done most of it with a pleasant attitude, despite the way his thoughts were divided up.

Command training had held several useful upgrades and simulations, and ten corellian hells that trick to think about more than one thing at a time was proving critically useful again.

Ahsoka had been with the 501st for several months now. While they’d had plenty of small missions since she’d joined, the Order had apparently taken enough pity to not throw an unprepared child back into another situation like Christophsis before she’d been trained up. Rex had noted that she was learning quickly and seemed to be a natural leader. It had been enough for him. Apparently it hadn’t been enough for her. He’d spent a good half hour imprinting the information from those data packets and mulling over what Cody had told him. Kid wasn’t flashing yet (probably a good sign, since Rex wasn’t even sure Jedi could flash) but nightmares strong enough to bother Kenobi... It set some alarm bells off.

Kix was promptly informed and pertinent records had been sent. He’d be better suited to doing a full psych eval and pursuing this medically anyways. It wasn’t enough though. Rex had unofficially taken her under his wing, and he took that sort of personal commitment seriously. What kind of mentor was he if he let this go because the medics had a handle?

He quickly slid into his seat for their morning briefing and felt grateful that Ahsoka was nothing if not a creature of habit. First one in every morning. She glanced at him with a small grin, some apparent effort being made to sit up properly with someone else in the room to judge her for it.

Rex shot her a dry look. “Rough night sir?”

Ahsoka snorted and rolled her eyes, arms crossing over her chest as she leaned back in her seat. “Not really. Just catching up still.”

“Classic case of Gauntlet Drain, nothing a few nights of solid sleep won’t cure.” He casually began to read through the data log built into the table. It was refreshing sometimes to take his time with it. Too much flash imprinting left him with a headache.

“Right… so your awkward hovering is for…?”

“Sir?” Rex grit his teeth at her arched eyebrow, before giving up with a snort. “Just a general welfare check in, kid, nothing to get in a huff about.”

“I’m not in a huff!” Ahsoka huffed.

“Sure. If you could read yourself the way you read others, I think you’d agree with me.” Rex lightly elbowed her, trying to pull up a good mood from the depths of whatever funk this was.

“I’m not that good at reading people Rexter. You’re just that much of an open book.” Ahsoka lightly punched his arm.

He imitated her own blank look before looking pointedly at the readouts.

“That’s literally just the Force, Rex. Maybe try not feeling so nervous next time and I’ll even let it slide!”

He didn’t look over, finishing the logs even as his brain tried to classify that bit of information. They were still the only two here, and he needed to make use of it before they were split in wildly different directions. “Are you saying you don’t use nonverbals?”

Ahsoka’s stiff hunching, and the hesitation, was enough of an answer for him.

“Don’t they teach that at the Temple? Rather important.” Rex turned in his seat, arm resting on the table and hoping that his own casual openness would help her relax.

It didn’t. “Yeah, but not for humans or near humans. So, not as helpful as you’d think.”

“They just expect you to compensate with the Force as a crutch?” He didn’t mean it to sound sharp, but if that wasn’t just one more piece of proof that Jedi were idiots, he wasn’t sure what would count. “What if you and the General need to get an idea across without words. You two do have a signing system of some kind, yeah?”

They had to. He’d seen it developing over time and wondered how the two communicated so much detailed information through looks alone. Rex quietly hoped that the answer was not going to be some sort of variation of ‘the Force’.

“That’s what Force bonds are for, Rex. He sends me info, I send him info, so there’s no need.” Ahsoka had gone into a full petulant tilt, mumbling more towards her knees than him, “This is one hell of a check in, Rex.”

Well there he’d gone and karked it up. Whole thing wasn’t supposed to make it worse, he was trying to make it better.

“Trainers always said my curiosity was gonna get me killed.” He offered.

Ahsoka, so quick to temper was also always wonderfully quick to forgive. She gave him a small smile for his effort, even if she didn’t look at him to give it. “I think I’ve heard that one once or twice myself.”

The door swished open with a slight hiss as Anakin and Yularen walked in, hunched over a datapad and quietly bickering about something. Well enough, Rex supposed, that would give him time to think.

_ Fact: Ahsoka is not 100% _

_ Fact: Ahsoka is still ok _

_ Fact: Ahsoka has nightmares, which only Kenobi is addressing _

_ Fact: Ahsoka is embarrassed over her non verbals with humans _

_ Extrapolation: Probably bothers her and/or hurts her pride to admit to either _

Rex’s eyes flicked over to her during the meeting and were met with the stony Jedi Padawan face she used in official matters, so he quickly slipped back into his captain role.

By the time they finished, Anakin had already pulled Ahsoka out for training, leaving Rex frowning thoughtfully at the door. The truth of the matter was that he couldn’t really help with the nightmares, especially if she wasn’t ready to talk about them. He knew well enough that his best intentions could still end up with his commander being more of a mess than she was. He knew for sure that it would only get worse the more combat she saw and the more she pushed help away.

It hit him somewhere around mid day that if she couldn’t read non verbals from humans, that meant Ahsoka was literally flying blind with the men. Rex smiled a bit at that  –  after all, she was already becoming well loved in ranks despite having that blind spot. That only spurred his frustrations on further. Rex respected the Jedi, but every time Skywalker or Kenobi said anything about it Rex found himself grateful for his own upbringing. At least the Kaminoans weren’t sending clones out blind and they all had brothers helping to cover their shiny asses. And Ahsoka was just about as shiny as they got.

Rex had thought he’d handled these growing annoyances rather well. That was until Jesse had practically growled at him, “Either spill it or drop it vod, can’t stand it when you mope around!”

He shot a dry glare Jesse’s way but was pretty sure it did nothing to soothe the rest of Torrent. Who were all clearly listening in. Rex quickly shifted his glare around until they at least pretended they weren’t eavesdropping. 

“Just learning more about the Order is all.” Rex said, hedging his bets there. It was a well known fact in the GAR that Jedi were idiots. Well meaning idiots, with a lot of talent, skill, and self discipline. Still.

“Right,” Jesse rolled his eyes and put his armor aside, the rag he’d been using to polish them neatly folded as he dove head first into the problem, “and this has absolutely nothing to do with the Commander, who has been cagey since the morning debrief?”

_ Bastard. _ “Careful now.”

But no warning from Rex could take back his Lieutenant’s comment.

Echo and Fives looked at one another, signing quickly and heads tilted inwards before Fives spoke up. “We talked to her on Chandrilla sir. She did well, but post gauntlet she looked a bit spooked. Righted herself quick though, we figured it was just lingering exhaustion from whatever had General Kenobi talking to her.”

Echo quickly continued, “Was it a Jedi thing sir?”

Rex would have laughed if he was on his own. “You could say that.”

“What’d they do now?” Hardcase snickered, flicking a card down on the bunk in front of him. Not even batting an eye as Mixer won the hand. “The Jedi I mean. Commander’s always a mess post Jedi meddling.”

Now this was spiraling out of control, and closer to toeing the line than Rex was comfortable with. “She just needs a crash course on some communication tactics.”

“Yeah, well, add it onto the list. Or have some of the boys teach her.” Jesse grumbled, clearly unhappy to be shut down.

Hardcase, who had never let that sort of thing stop him, practically shouted, “We can teach her!”

“That’s not our place,” Rex sighed, and just barely stopped himself from rubbing his head. That would’ve been a dead give away.

There was a pause and despite his frustration with them sticking their noses where they didn’t belong, he was also very proud. These were good men, with a depth of compassion and a sense of fierce loyalty. This was 501st true.

“We could,” Echo started slowly, warming more to the idea as he thought aloud, “we could teach her if we were her squad. Commander Tano got her air squad assigned, but she hasn’t picked a ground squad. She could be Torrent, with us. Pretty sure General Skywalker would even have her be Alpha Squad to work with Beta more. Dress it up as group cohesiveness!”

“She’s going to be assigned out.” Rex finally gave into his urge and rubbed fiercely at his forehead, hoping to cut off a headache before it started.

Mixer snorted before finally chiming in, “We’ll fight anyone who wants to try and get that!”

“You’re outnumbered sir,” Redeye had the gall to smirk.

That wasn’t how this worked and they knew it. Except, now that Rex was thinking about it, she hadn’t been assigned out  **yet** and no one had volunteered out of respect for their brothers. If they all agreed, however...well then, that was a thought. “Don’t involve me then.”

He was only somewhat bolstered by the enthusiastic round of “Sir, yes sir!”

If Rex happened to notice that more of the men were missing in the rec room than normal two nights later, he didn’t mention it. When Coric called to tell him they’d had an influx of light injuries before their campaign had even started, Rex claimed innocence. The fact that his com pinged over twenty times that night, all with the same message, was just the icing on top. Technically he knew nothing and he was fine with that.

It was the next morning when Skywalker flopped down next to him in the officer’s mess that Rex nearly lost it. His face, all the stars, his  **face** .

“What the hell is going on? I’ve never seen so many of the guys sulking like this!” Anakin was basically giddy with anticipation. For the first few years Rex had basically been the kid’s only inside source for scuttlebutt. It was useful stuff to know as a general but impractical to sift through it himself. Skywalker had never really given up the idea that Rex was somehow an ultimate authority.

Not that he wasn’t, but there was no need to tip off the rest of the men about that.

“Dunno sir, probably some kind of competition.” Rex said it casually, kept his eyes on his food  and tried to project something that didn’t scream “liar” in the Force. He wasn’t sure if the attempts at practice the last few days had meant anything, but surely he wouldn’t have gotten that mind shielding training for nothing. He had just gotten a bit rusty with it was all.

Anakin squinted at him, before a wide grin split his face nearly in two. “I can’t believe Ahsoka got adopted that quickly!”

Rex wanted to be disappointed to know his general was in on some betting pool, but he chuckled into his caf instead. “Is that what it was?”

“Don’t be coy, Torrent won if I’ve heard that correctly. Hypothetically speaking, because clearly I’m not in the know!” Anakin then abandoned all conversation in favor of his favorite thing in the universe, food. 

Rex preened a little. He hadn’t been worried about it, not after training those boys himself, but he could still be overtly proud now that he was “in the know”. His good cheer was slowly sapped over the meal as Rex realized that Skywalker didn’t seem to know anything more than that. How in the world had he not noticed the problem?

“Hypothetically then, you do know why this whole thing went down, yeah?” Rex watched closely as Skywalker’s eyebrows scrunched upwards, the side of his mouth twisting slightly in confusion. Stars, kid was so damned  **young** .

“... because it’s Ahsoka.” Anakin said with the same certainty that Rex had heard other people  say things like  _ “you need air to breathe.” _

“Had an interesting chat with her a few days ago, she said she was able to communicate with you through a Force bond. The men don’t have that.” Rex paused only for a moment before seeing the storm building up in Skywalker’s eyes. “She doesn’t exactly understand non verbal cues, Torrent wanted to teach her. I’m tacking on hand signing as well. Things I was under the impression she was supposed to be taught.”

Anakin’s good mood was gone as he frowned down at his empty tray. “She should have been, but it’s my fault for not knowing she hasn’t. As for the cues, well, that explains a lot. I’ll work with her too, remind her that she should talk to us about these things. Good catch Rex, I owe you one.”

That’s what Rex liked about his general. Skywalker was quick to pick up anything the men laid down and he wasn't afraid to admit he karked something up. The fact that he cared about everyone under his command was just a bonus in Rex’s opinion. So he smiled at his Jedi and told it straight, “You’re a good man, General, can’t wait to see where you go once those brain lobes finish developing.”

Anakin laughed, scrubbing at his face with a groan, “I’m not that young, Rex!”

“Your brain,” Rex chuckled while picking up his tray, “is not fully grown.”

“Not everyone has the convenience of cloning technology to speed these things up. Some of us have to do things the old fashioned way.” Anakin walked the two of them over to the drop off, their strides clicking together as they made for the bridge.

“My condolences.” Rex deadpanned.

That afternoon, Rex was watching the commander run a simulation with Torrent’s Alpha Squad. Overall, it was going well, as she had clearly learned a lot from her live fire exercise with General Kenobi and had been reading some of the materials he had given her on small squad tactics. She’d even adjusted her plan upon seeing Echo’s black eye, switching him and Redeye with no small amusement before they jumped in. Rex kept watching even as his mind wandered to the moment she’d bounced into their bunk with a grin, explaining that she’d been assigned to them.

Everyone had put on a good show for her, not wanting to spoil her excitement.

The simulation ended and they debriefed, pulling Rex’s full attention back to the moment.

“Permission to speak freely sir?” Fives asked. At Ahsoka’s confused nod, he continued on, “It’s good info to tell us, but there’s no way you could know about our nerves from body language if your back is to us. On the field you’ll probably be concentrating the Force on other things. So...in the simulator maybe don’t do that? Not gonna learn to read us out there if you can’t in here.”

It was clearly a practiced script. Jesse and Echo had probably hammered it out before drilling it into everyone’s heads. Fives just happened to have spoken up first.

“I mean, definitely do it when you can in the field. I like living!” Fives added on, shrugging his shoulders and taking a breath to babble on before Hardcase jammed his elbow deep into his side.

If he squinted, Rex thought he could see Ahsoka’s lekku twitching from his spot. He didn’t have to squint to see the way she glared petulantly at him. Rex gave a solemn little nod.

She was at least gracious enough to say, “Ok. Thanks for the heads up, Fives. Just help me catch it when you can, fifteen years of hard wiring right here.”

“No problem! We can quiz you around the ship.” Jesse’s smile was anything but comforting, but it made her laugh.

“Wow, I can’t wait!” Ahsoka said with a roll of her eyes and enough sarcastic cheer to choke a rancor.

The simulator whirred to life and everyone buckled down. Buckets went on and Ahsoka quickly took stock of their surroundings before leading them on.

They were decimated the first few rounds, but on each break the boys gave her pointers and tips. They improved rapidly.


End file.
